What is Love?
by FFicWriterXxveryOriginal
Summary: The Interceptor crew lands on a planet to collect supplies to repair the ship. However, after a surprise encounter with the planet's new inhabitants, the crew mates find themselves learning more and more about one of their own members. Tensions arise, and as time goes on, Razer must decide where and with whom his loyalties lie. Razer/Aya or Razaya
1. Chapter 1

**This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 1**

Hal couldn't believe this was happening…again. There had to be some sort of mistake. "Aya," he said slowly, "could you run that by me one more time?"

The AI nav computer complied. "_Our conflict with the Manhunters has left significant damage on the ultra-warp coils. It will take about 29.32 days to repair them."_

"Oh great," Kilowog said, facing his chair forward as it had been previously. "Here we are once again caught in Frontier space with no way to ultra-warp back to Oa. This is starting to become an issue."

"It's always an issue Bolovaxian!" Razer commented sarcastically.

On the other hand, Hal let out the breath he hadn't know he'd been holding. "Hey, no worries! Aya said it would only take 29 days. That's better than 9 months right?" he asked, attempting to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, none of the others seemed to be reciprocating.

After their ordeal with Neuroxis, the Interceptor crew had returned to Oa to deliver the now lifeless body of the former assassin as well as drop off Sinestro. In truth, they'd all become a little uncomfortable with the Green Lantern's dryness, even Hal. Once that was done and over with, the foursome had set off once more, ultra-warping back into frontier space to confront the Manhunters anew. However, as luck would have it, the Manhunters had come to them, seven of them taking the team by surprise the moment they'd jumped out of ultra-warp. They'd all fought valiantly and without pause until all that remained of the killer robots were scratched metal shards and scrap wire. Despite the fact that they'd all come out unscathed, unfortunately, the same could not be said about the ship. The Manhunters must have gotten smart and updated their program because this time around, instead of attacking the Green Lanterns directly they'd gone and aimed for the engine, all blasting simultaneously, leaving the crew in their current condition.

Hal ran a hand through his hair. "Come on guys, we've gone through this problem before. I mean, it could be worse!"

Razer turned in his chair and glared at the human. "_Don't_ say that. Ever. Every time you say that, things _always_ get worse than they already are!"

Kilowog chuckled. "Ha, the kid's got you pegged Jordan!"

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Hal muttered, slumping in his chair.

"_There is some good news however, but there is also bad news."_

At the sound of her voice, all eyes turned towards the A.I. in curiosity.

"You know what, let's hear the bad news first Aya!" Hal said quickly. "That way we can get it over with."

"_Understood. The bad news is in order to complete all repairs to the ultra-warp coils a special type of mineral is required to rebuild various parts."_

"Oh great," Kilowog said for the second time that day.

"_The good news is that there is a planet nearby with a great abundance of the mineral, as well plentiful resources for organics to feed upon. _Turning back towards the dashboard of the ship, Aya pressed a button that lit up a hologram of said planet right in the center of the room. _If a sufficient amount of the mineral is acquired, repairs should be complete in about 10.47 days."_

"Wait, really?!" Hal asked, excitement leaking off of him. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Everyone let's go, full speed ahead!"

* * *

After about ten minutes of flying, the interceptor crew found themselves approaching the planet in question. It wasn't very large, perhaps a tad smaller than Earth, but it looked comfortable enough. From what they could see, it was mainly land with a number of large bodies of water sporadically thrown in. As they flew in closer, the vegetation became clearer and they could see a couple of mountain peaks lining the area. To Hal, it was the closest comparable planet to Earth that he'd seen yet. Overall, it was a beautiful sight.

Once they'd parked the ship in a cleared area where no trees would disrupt the landing, the three lanterns and AI disembarked, glancing about, checking out the surroundings. They all had to admit, the planet was pleasant, even Razer was impressed, though he refused to show it. Not too warm, not too cold, the humidity was minimal and a soft breeze pulled at their clothes, not enough to knock them over, but just enough to cool the air down. The tree loomed just above their heads while various small animals scampered about in it, peering curiously at the newcomers.

Hal let out a low whistle. "I wonder if this is what Eden looked like."

"What now?" Kilowog asked.

"Nothing," Hal replied, waving him off. "Anyway, Aya, where do we start looking for this all important mineral?"

Aya glanced at the map projected on her arm. _"According to my scanners, traces of the mineral are in this general vicinity. However, signals are emanating from two distinct areas each in different directions. I cannot discern which area has the greater amount necessary for repairs."_

"No problem," Hal announced confidently. "We'll split up. Kilowog and I can go in one direction and you two can go in the other. We'll stay in touch using our rings. If you run into trouble, we'll be there in an instant. Everyone agreed?"

"Sounds solid to me."

"_Affirmative."_

"Fine."

"Alright, then let's move!"

With everyone agreed, Hal and Kilowog received their coordinates from Aya and the four split off and headed in their own directions. For a while, it was smooth sailing. The two flew on, enjoying the scenery and chatting idly amongst themselves. That is, until Kilowog brought up an interesting point, one that Hal hadn't really thought about until then.

"Hey Jordan?" Kilowog asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure it's a good idea to leave Aya alone with the kid?" he asked uncertainly.

Hal gave him a confused look. "Why wouldn't it be? I mean, they've worked alone together before, remember? There was that time on Betrassus, and then on Zamaron, as well as-,"

"Yeah, yeah, I get that Jordan. I'm talking about right now! You know, after the whole deal with Neuroxis."

"What about it?"

"Haven't you noticed Aya's been actin a little…weird?"

"Weird in what way?"

"She's been kinda evasive lately, especially around Red. One time I was sitting in the conference room while she talked about the sensor relays, then the kid walks in and suddenly she's out the door! Didn't even give any warning or nothing!"

"Hm," Hal thought, rubbing his chin slightly. "Now that you mention it, I was talking with her the other day on the main deck. She wanted to learn a little more about how 'organics' interact with one another, so I was telling her about some of the soap operas they play on my planet. Then Razer walks in and next thing I know she's leaving while I'm in midsentence."

Kilowog's face changed from confused to concerned. "You don't think he did something to her did he?"

"I don't know, Razer's always been rather rough but he's never hurt her before."

"What about when Aya said that he'd acted very 'friendly'? You maybe think it scared her off?"

"Naw, Aya's not the type to be scared off that easily. If anything, she'd want to find out what was going on. Maybe she's-,"

Before he could finish, Hal was cut off by the insistent beeping in his ring. Checking the coordinates, the two found themselves hovering over the location pointed out on the map, designated by a bright green dot.

"We can ask her about it later. For now, let's grab the mineral so we can head back." So the two descended.

* * *

**Yay, my first GL fic. I love this show! Anyway, let me know what you think!**

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**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

******This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 2**

"Ooook, certainly wasn't what I was expecting when Aya said mineral," Hal said.

"What the heck is that?!" Kilowog asked, as straightforward as ever.

The so-called 'mineral' that Aya's scans had led them to left them baffled. Instead of a heap of rocks or some sort of metal, the Green Lanterns found themselves starring at some sort of transport device. The two made their way over to the strange contraption and began to inspect it. From Hal's perspective it resembled a fork-lift or wagon that people used back home to pick up heavy shipments. The front of the machine was completely flat and straight while the back reared up into some sort of carriage to hold a single person of his own size. The carriage part had numerous controls, one of which appeared to be a steering wheel from what Hal could tell. The rest of it was all foreign to the both of them.

"So, what now?" asked the Bolovaxian.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He glanced at his ring. "According to Aya's readout, this thing is the mineral, or at least that's what it's pointing at."

"But what is it? And why's it here? If it belongs to someone, we can't just take it can we?"

"Probably not." Raising up his ring hand, Hal scanned the strange machine, bathing it in green light, searching for any sort of clue or indication that might shed some understanding on their conundrum. At first there was nothing. So he stepped around and switched sides. Nothing on that side either. Making his way over to the back, he tried one more time. This time, his ring beeped in reply. Getting down on one knee, he opened up a small hatch built into the side, one that resembled a gas cap on a car back home. Scanning the inside, his ring beeped insistently.

"Well whatever this thing is, it's fueled by the mineral we've been searching for. My ring is telling me we've got a match from-,"

"JORDAN, WATCH OUT!" Kilowog exclaimed.

Hal Jordan looked up to see a projectile headed straight for him. Luckily, Kilowog had caught sight of it just in time, yanking the human backwards by the back of his neck, barely missing it. The projectile turned out to be some sort of dagger, the blade burying itself into the ground right where Hal had previously been kneeling down. And if that wasn't enough, three more followed immediately after. This time however, both Hal and Kilowog were ready, throwing up shields that easily deflected the deadly weapons.

Following the attack, the two lanterns lowered their shields, witnessing as three figures emerged seemingly from out of the forest. Though each stood at different heights, all of them wore the same sort of clothing. Dark gray hoods flowed into a cloak down and around their backs. Underneath, they appeared to be wearing neutral colored clothes that helped them blend into the shadows and kept most of their bodies obscured. In fact, they were wearing so many layers Hal wondered how they could run around without feeling so warm. They even had gray gloves and scarves that covered the bottom half of their faces. But despite their obscurity, their rigid body language was enough to tip off anyone that they weren't happy!

The smallest and skinniest one, slightly shorter that Razer Hal guessed, stepped forward, a dagger clenched in each hand. "You! How dare you meddle with our technology Outsiders!" He yelled fiercely.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you've got it all wrong!" Hal attempted to reason, holding up both hands in surrender. "We weren't going to break it or steal it or anything like that! We were only…inspecting it!"

"We will hear none of your lies! TAKE THEM!" he commanded fiercely, prompting the other two figures into action.

The largest one was about as tall as Kilowog. Though not as heavy as the Bolovaxian, he was still a good size, bigger than any human wrestler. He wielded a wooden club as a weapon, which he swung with ease and brute force as if it were nothing more than a thin branch. Quick on his feet, Kilowog created his own hammer construct and struck back, the two weapons colliding with a deadly clashing sound. Although the Green Lantern's strikes were vicious and consistent, 'Club' managed to hold his own as well! He blocked each bludgeon of the hammer as best he could before quickly recovering and sending all of his weight into his own strikes.

The second one was about Hal's size, standing tall with broad shoulders. Unlike 'Club,' this one possessed a thin frame, similar to his own, but with long arms and legs, hardened with muscle. From within his cloak, he produced a long coil of metal chains which he swung above his head like a lasso. At the tip of the chain was a sharp-pointed javelin that looked like it could easily slice through skin without pause, something that the green lantern desperately tried to avoid as 'Chain' continued to whip it towards him with great control.

As he whipped the chain back around after it had bounced off of a green construct, 'Chain' sent it flying back at him head on, the javelin spinning dangerously close. Reflexes kicking in, Hal held up his right hand and constructed a shield large enough to cover the front of his body. But just at the last minute, 'Chain' tugged the links to the left, altering the course of the javelin, allowing it to not only to avoid the shield, but also spin around it, taking him from the right side. Dropping his shield, Hal had only just enough time to lean backwards, narrowly dodging the spear tip as it zoomed past his face, grazing the side of his cheek. He quickly wiped the drop of blood away before continuing, determined to learn from his mistakes. This time, when the javelin came flying at him, he was ready. Quickly constructing a giant green hand, Hal grabbed hold of the chain and yanked it back with all the strength he had, pulling his opponent forward before sending him barreling backwards with a punch to the jaw using his other hand.

_Well, that's one down_, he though eagerly. That is, until he nearly dodged three sharp knives that flew his way. _And two more to go…_Raising his ring hand, the human began shooting a barrage of beams at 'Dagger,' the one he presumed to be the leader of the group. Unfortunately, none of them made any contact whatsoever, or even came close. 'Dagger' dodged all the blasts easily, bending his body this way and that, flipping backwards and forwards like a flying acrobat. Hal gritted his teeth. "Hold still!" he said in frustration. Almost mockingly, his opponent did another graceful backflip, narrowly avoiding the mechanical claw construct coming at him before performing the most surprising sneak attack that any lantern had ever scene. As the claw construct hit the ground, using it as a bridge, 'Dagger' ran across the beam of light, faster than any of them could comprehend, and sent a roundhouse kick to the side of Jordan's head, knocking him to the ground with a loud thud a grunt of pain.

Thankfully, Kilowog was at his side in an instant, picking him up off the ground and to his feet. "Jordan, we're gettin' our butts handed to us! Let's just get out of here!"

Hal nodded, rubbing his sore head. "Good plan," he muttered. The two then took to the sky without a second thought. Sadly, their enemies weren't planning on letting them go that easily.

Before they'd even flown a quarter of a kilometer away, Kilowog's eyes widened when he felt something wrap around his ankle.

"What the-?!" was all that left his mouth as he suddenly felt his body jerked downwards by an incredible force. To say he'd been caught off guard was an understatement.

"KILOWOG!" Hal yelled as he watched his friend get fish-lined back towards the ground, only to get tangled up in a weighted net that they had waiting for him.

He growled. "You think this overgrown fishnet is enough to stop me?!" The group only stared coolly back at him uncaringly. Then, without warning 'Chain' stepped forward, grabbed hold of Kilowog's wrist, and yanked the Green Lantern Ring right off of his finger. "Wha-, my ring!" he yelled as the green light left him.

"Hang on Buddy!" Hal replied, flying back to save him—only to get punched in the face once he'd landed by the same guy he'd socked earlier. He rubbed his jaw in annoyance. These guys just wouldn't quit! _They might as well be the Green Lanterns here,_ he thought slightly irritated.

"Alright, that's it I've had it up to here!" Summoning a baseball bat construct, Hal came at them swinging with all of his might. Luckily, this time they began to scatter, perhaps fearing the look in the human's eyes as he attacked. 'Club' and 'Chain' quickly backed away from where Kilowog lay struggling to break free. But 'Dagger' did not budge. He stood his ground as Hal raised his bat, only serving to irritate him even more. With a mighty swing, Jordan brought the bat around, aiming for the side of his opponent's head. However, even then his opponent continued to amaze him. As the bat was barreling towards him, 'Dagger' merely raised his right arm, directly in the path of the construct, and grabbed hold of it. Despite his small size and light frame, he managed to stop the oncoming weapon, his feet barely moving a centimeter, and with a clench of his hand, the construct shattered before Hal's very eyes, leaving him momentarily stunned!

"How…what…?" His shocked was short-lived however, when his opponent sent another punch his way, knocking him flat onto the ground.

"Jordan!" he heard Kilowog yell.

Shakily, he brought his ring to his face in one last ditch effort. "Razer, Aya, we've run into trouble—oof!" And with one more strike, he was out like a light!

At first, everything was black and hazy. In the distance, he heard noise, someone talking but couldn't quite discern what was being said. Blinking a few times, Hal opened his eyes to see that the entire world had been turned upside down! For a moment, he nearly panicked until he realized nothing had happened to the world, but rather it was he himself that was upside down. The three whatever-they-were had strung him up in a tree with rope with his head pointed towards the ground. Next to him, Kilowog was still tangled up in the net, maybe even more so than before. Further up, he could see the three of them seemingly speaking amongst each other though he couldn't exactly pick out anything that he could understand. _Odd, I could understand them before. Why not now? _he thought, when all of a sudden it hit him like a ton of bricks.

"My ring!" he accidently spoke aloud drawing his captors' attention. The three turned to look at him before 'Dagger' made his way over. Hal sent him a glare. As he kneeled down over him, Hal swore he could see the amusement and mockery dancing his enemy's eyes at the sight of him in such a vulnerable state.

'Dagger' muttered something to him, something completely foreign. He sighed. "Look, me no _understand_! I need _ring_!" he attempted to convey.

His opponent only chuckled before lifting a dagger to his head aimed directly at his throat, muttering something dark. And although he couldn't understand a word he'd said, going by the tone of his voice when he'd said it, Hal was 99% positive that it was something along the lines of 'you're dead.'

* * *

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

******This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 3**

"_We are approaching the target up ahead. At current speed, expect arrival in 9.51 minutes," _Aya conveyed, glancing at the construct map on her arm.

"Understood," Razer answered, attempting to match her speed. But just as he had flown up alongside the android, Aya immediately increased her speed to stay just ahead of him. Grunting slightly, he sped up a little more, but once again, just as he had caught up, Aya sped up even more. Thus the pattern continued until they were both shooting across the sky so fast they had become no more than a blur to the human eye. Razer's red energy gave him the appearance of a falling meteorite while Aya resembled a bright green comet.

At one point, he was sure he had caught up with her until she suddenly darted downwards, heading towards the ground. Razer quickly followed. Both flew in a downward diagonal, approaching the ground at blinding speed. Luckily, a few seconds before impact, Aya pulled her feet in front of her, slowing herself down just enough for her to land safely on the ground.

On the other hand, Razer had directed all of his focus on keeping up with the AI unit, so much that he'd become unaware of his speed and direction. His landing had not been nearly as graceful. Though he'd attempted to pull back at the last moment, it was not enough to keep him from crashing through the bushes, hitting the ground face first and sliding through the dirt, until finally reaching a complete stop. He lay there for a moment, collecting himself and thanking whatever deity that the other two green oafs hadn't been there to see that. Otherwise, they would have never let him live it down.

"_Razer!" _he heard Aya cry, concern etched into her voice. It was enough to snap him back to his senses and pull himself to his feet. She quickly flew over, landing next to him. _"Are you injured?"_

"No, I'm alright," he assured, wiping the dirt off of his face. Though he'd never admit it, he felt his heart race slightly at the idea that she'd been concerned about him. But in an instant, her concern vanished.

Aya turned away and began walking in the opposite direction, not even turning around to see if he was following. He sighed to himself. She'd been avoiding him like the plague ever since their "talk" about him spending time with her. Or rather, lack of time spent with her. The red lantern still had no definite answers about what exactly he'd done while under Neuroxis' influence and nobody was talking. But apparently it had been bad enough for her to start giving him the cold shoulder. Back aboard the Interceptor, every time he'd attempted to speak with her over the matter, she'd left the room, sought the company of another crew member, or flat out ignored him. It was starting to drive him crazy…well, crazier than usual.

"_My scanners report that the mineral is due 62.37 degrees northwest towards that mountain," _she pointed, walking ahead. He raced to catch up. As expected, she increased her pace once he had.

"Aya, wait! I need you to listen to me for a moment!"

"_It would be wise if we continued searching. With the threat of the Manhunters and the Anti-Moniter we do not wish to waste valuable time stopping to communicate,"_ Aya replied coldly.

"Yes, I understand that but I really must speak with you!"

To this she didn't reply. Instead she simply kept walking, her eyes focused directly ahead.

"Aya, enough! You can't keep running away from me."

"_Negative. I am not running, only keeping a 1.5 meter distance between the two of us. Or as Green Lantern Hal Jordan says, I 'require space.'"_

He gave an annoyed growl. "I thought you said you wished to spend more time with me. Yet now you're contradicting your own statements."

"_You have said that you work better alone, correct? This way, we will both increase efficiency and work output."_

The red lantern narrowed his eyes, his anger beginning to leak into his ring. This was starting to become ridiculous. Quickening his pace into a sprint, he ran until he was no longer behind now but ahead before darting into her path, blocking her way and forcing her to face him. When she attempted to move around him, he grabbed hold of her shoulders, keeping her in place. Though she had never before shown any signs of anger, the look she gave him then was the closest she'd ever gotten. Her eyebrows had dropped and her mouth was twisted into a light frown.

"_I immensely suggest that you unhand me Red Lantern Razer. You are hindering progress."_

"Not until we get this settled," he insisted. "Look Aya, what you said earlier about me not spending time with you, it's…it's not that I do not _want_ to spend time with you, it's just…that is…"

"_Has the crash landing damaged your vocal responses?"_ she asked curiously.

"_No! _No, trust me I've been through much worse. What I'm trying to say is…well, I'm not very good at communicating certain things easily."

To this, he noticed Aya's eyes softened slightly. _"I do not understand. Communication is merely the exchange of data or passing of a message between multiple individuals in hopes of feedback. My studies have shown that most, if not all organic beings are capable of some sort of communication."_

"It's not that simple," he said softly, bowing his head slightly. "You see, I can communicate just fine about normal things. But there are some things that I have difficulty expressing and I tend to…close up when that happens."

"_Like a defense mechanism?"_

"Sort of like that…yes."

"_Razer, if you fear that I intend to bring bodily harm upon your person, you needn't worry."_

Razer exhaled, his shoulders slumping slightly. He should have known this would happen. "Aya, it's not physical pain that I'm referring to. It's-,"

Before he could finish however, his ring began to glow insistently. Hal's voice emanated from it. "Razer, Aya, we've run into trouble—oof!"

Once the transmission had cut off, Aya immediately jumped into action. _"The Green Lanterns require assistance!" _she said urgently, her rocket boosters lifting her off the ground.

Razer rolled his eyes. "Of course they do," he muttered before following after her. Hal always had the worst timing! With his luck, they'd probably be interrupted in the middle of something _very_ important the next time it happens!

* * *

Reluctantly, he followed the android as she directed them in the right direction using the tracker on her arm. It was long until they'd found the other two though the sight wasn't surprising. Somehow, the two had gotten themselves tangled up with the wrong group, literally. Kilowog lay on the ground tied up in a net while Hal was tied up in a tree while someone held a dagger to his throat looking completely helpless. Typical. Leave it to those two to get into some sort of trouble while searching for a rock!

Picking up speed, Razer dipped forward into a dive, his ring hand straight ahead of him. He sent a blast of energy at the one standing in front of Hal, although the figure managed to jump backwards before it could hit. Likewise, Aya sent a blast of green energy at the others, taking them by surprise. Their opponents were quick to recover however. The one with the knife glared back at him, yelling "Stop them!" to which he responded by sending another torrent of red energy his way.

Aya kept herself preoccupied with the largest one, keeping her distance while blasting him with everything she had as he continued to back away. A smart move on her part, Razer thought. The big guy's specialty was obviously close combat. Had she fought him hand-to-hand he certainly would have overwhelmed the AI in terms of strength and size. For a moment, she appeared to be winning, even managing to knock his club away, and leaving him without a weapon. But out of nowhere a chain whipped into the air from behind, wrapping around her body and then yanking her to the ground. She barely had a moment to comprehend what was happening before she found herself lying on her side in the dirt with the two tall ones peering over her.

"Aya!" Razer yelled, making a dash towards his teammate, only to have his path blocked by the third one. "Out of my way!"

"Tch," was the only response he got from him, and from beneath the gray scarf he wore, Razer could swear the man was smirking. This only served to anger him more, fueling his ring.

Growling under his breath and red light blazing, Razer launched himself at his opponent who did the same. It was a continuous clash of light on steel as the two figures sent strike after furious strike at one another, neither backing down. After nearly a minute of nonstop attacks, Razer pulled himself back to catch a quick breath, but his enemy took that opportunity to serge forward and send his dagger in between his ribs. Luckily, Razer managed to turn just in time, barely missing the pointed blade. He gritted his teeth. He was good. Very good.

And yet, throughout the confusion, a strange feeling tugged at his mind. A feeling of familiarity. Those moves, that fighting style, those weapons…where had he seen them before?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, his opponent, dagger in hand, attempted to slash at the side of his head with his left hand straightened. As if on reflex, Razer straightened his right arm and blocked the attack. Their arms remained crossed like that, the sharp dagger aimed at his head less than a centimeter away, and Razer's ring aimed at his opponent's face, glowing dangerously with that deadly red light. After moving so quickly for so long, the two enemies now stood completely still, the only movement being the rising and fall of their chests as they fought to catch their breaths. Only then did their eyes finally meet.

From beneath the shade of his hood, his opponent's eyes suddenly widened exponentially as if in disbelief. Slowly, he lowered his arm and took a step back, eyes unchanged. Razer kept his own arm and ring up just in case. But the next few words nearly shook him all the way down to his core.

"You're…" his opponent stuttered, "you're a…a…you're a Musa."

Razer felt his own eyes widen. "What did you say?" he asked incredulously.

He took another step back. "You're of the Musa clan, correct?"

"How do you…how do you know about my clan?!"

He chuckled. Pulling his daggers back into his cloak, his opponent then raised his hands to his hood, pulling it back and removing the scarf. With the hood gone, long strands of white hair tumbled down across his shoulders—or rather _her_ shoulders, implied by the feminine face. But it was not the change in gender that had left the red lantern speechless. No, there was no denying that thin, pale face, those bright blue eyes, or the black lines trailing down her cheeks. She was a Volkregian.

* * *

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

******This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 4**

Hal had learned early on that staring with his mouth wide open was considered rude and unorthodox and he'd attempted to avoid it (most of the time). But at that moment, he really couldn't help himself. He, a Green Lantern and a fully grown man, had somehow been defeated by a _kid_! A girl too! Though he had difficulty discerning exactly what she looked like, being upside down and all, he could tell she had to be fairly young. Heck, he'd already had his mind blown when she'd revealed herself to be of the same race as Razer.

Looking over at Kilowog, he too sported the same shocked expression, both his eyes darting back and forth between Razer and the new girl.

At the moment, the two appeared to be involved in conversation. While he could understand Razer thanks to his red lantern ring, everything that tumbled from her mouth was complete gibberish to him. Looking back at his fallen comrades, the human suddenly had an idea when his eyes lay on Aya who was also still tied up on the ground.

"_Psst_, Aya!" he said in a loud whisper, enough to get her attention. Maneuvering herself as best as she could in her current state, the AI nav com rolled her body over on the ground, enough so that she could meet Hal's gaze.

"_You have a query, Green Lantern Hal?"_

"Yeah. Think you could translate what they're saying?" he asked, tilting his head towards the pair.

"_With ease,"_ Aya responded. _"Translating. The female is currently saying 'I am sorry that I did not realize who you were earlier. You could say I was…preoccupied.'"_

"Yes, I can see that," Razer replied, eyes glancing over at where the other three lay. "If you don't mind, I'll need my comrades back in one piece. All of them."

The girl blinked as if surprised, glanced over his shoulder and said something else. Aya translated it as _"All of them? Even the other two?"_

"Yes, them as well. All of them work with me."

To this, _Lady_ 'Dagger' made her way over where Hal continued to hang from the tree, lowering herself slightly so that their eyes were locked. She smirked at him slightly, all the while muttering more foreign words.

"_She said, 'Do you wish for us to release this ugly one as well?'"_

Hal's eyes widened. "Wait a second, UGLY?! What the heck does she mean by that?!" he yelled in an irritated voice. Off to the side, Kilowog snickered as well. "Hey listen up little girl, there are many things I have been called in the past, a lot of which I let slide, but _ugly_ is definitely not one of them!"

She simply straightened back up, not at worried about the malicious tone in which he'd said it. Instead, she simply giggled to herself and waved it off before walking back over to where Razer stood.

"'_You're sure they can be trusted? We caught them messing with our hoverlift while we were hunting. They appeared to be stealing our fuel,'" _She'd said.

"Yes, I am sure this was all a misunderstanding. They never meant to harm anyone or steal anything that much I can assure you. If anything happens, I can vouch for them."

Her eyes narrowed in response. _"'You swear upon the name of your ancestors?'"_

"I do solemnly swear." He placed his right arm across his chest showing that he was serious.

She nodded._ "'Fair enough. _"Glancing back at her comrades she proceeded to call them over and ordered them to release the green lanterns. Hal couldn't help but marvel at the way she handled her team, the way they obediently did as they were told without question. 'Club' made his way over to Kilowog and began cutting through the ropes of the net with a small knife he produced from his cloak. Likewise, 'Chain' had helped Aya to her feet and began uncoiling the length of metal around her. Once they had been dealt with, Lady 'Dagger' glanced up and down at Hal, all the while pulling another knife from her cloak. Taking a step back, she clenched it between her fingers, and in one clean swoosh she let it fly. The blade sliced nicely through the rope on the branch, dropping Hal unceremoniously onto the ground head first. After he'd slid the rest of the rope off, he rubbed his head for the second time that day.

"I'm sure gonna have one bad headache tomorrow," he whispered to himself.

"Zatenia ma nabu," he heard her say, or at least what it sounded like to him.

"Say what?" he asked.

"He can't understand you. He needs his green lantern ring back," Razer clarified.

The human accepted it gratefully, immediately feeling more at ease and less naked once he'd slid it back onto his finger. He could feel his strength returning as the green light began to flow back into him. "Ah, that's better."

" Can...you...understand...me...now?" the girl asked in a mockingly slow voice.

Hal's brow knit. "Hey, you need to show a little more respect for your elders!" he scolded, crossing his arms.

"You're one to talk Jordan," he heard Kilowog mutter.

"Tch, as if! I'm already forced to do enough of that back home," she replied confidently.

"You know what? I liked it better when I couldn't understand what you were saying."

To this she burst out laughing. "Hahaha, you're funny. I am Adira by the way. Adira of the Musa clan."

"I'm Hal Jordan of the Green Lanterns. These are teammates Kilowog, Razer, and our ship's AI, Aya," he said, introducing them all one by one. Kilowog gave a light lift of his fingers in response while Aya stepped forward in acknowledgement. Adira's own teammates stepped in line behind her in turn.

"This is Naaman of the Hutar clan," she motioned towards the big guy 'Club,' "and Zafeer of the Mecha clan," she motioned towards 'Chain.' Once introduced, her teammates removed their hoods and scarves also, revealing themselves to be of the same alien race, though their black markings on their faces were completely different.

Naaman appeared to be the oldest of the three, as well as the most mature. If they had to guess, he appeared to be about in his early forties, just over that hill, a light touch of white peppering his short chocolate brown hair. As well as the clan markings his face sported a couple of wrinkles here and there. Unlike Razer's and Adira's, his markings resembled two sharp arrows slicing down the side of his cheeks. But despite the harshness that they conveyed, overall he looked friendly enough. He smiled a cheerful smile at the group, sort of like how a great-uncle would greet his relatives.

On the other hand, if Naaman was the soft-hearted uncle, then Zafeer was the bored, uncaring teenage cousin. Like Adira, he too appeared to be quite young, maybe a year older than Razer. As he looked upon the group, he wore a tired, dull, almost emotionless look as if his mind was elsewhere. Without his hood, dark grey bangs began to fall into his eyes, obscuring his face slightly, though he made no motion to push them away, while the rest of his hair was pulled back into a low small ponytail. His own markings were only on the left side of his face. They started on his forehead, just above his eyebrow, and slowly wove their way down the side of his cheeks, circles with lines striking through them meshing together, resembling the turning gears in a machine.

And last but not least was Adira herself. She was definitely the spunky and sometimes annoying little sister, the one who wasn't afraid to make fun of you in front of everyone. After observing them all, it was now obvious why she was the leader. She was practically overflowing with confidence and her skills in combat were second to none. Though she may lack the maturity and experience of a true leader, her rebellious attitude and optimism was enough to make up for that. In a way, she sort of reminded him of himself, Hal begrudgingly admitted. Her markings included two lines that started from each of her eyes and dropped straight down her cheeks before disappearing beneath her jawline. Her long hair which fell past her shoulders was so white it could have been bleached, though he doubted that was the case.

Put together, they were an odd group that's for sure. Then again, so was the Interceptor crew.

"Nice to meet you all, and sorry about the misunderstanding. We were just looking for some special mineral to repair our ship. I think it's the same kind that powers your, uh, hoverlift, was it?"

"Oh! If all you wanted was some Mahdi, you should have just said so," Adira pointed out.

"Sorry, you kind of… attacked us before we could."

"You're forgiven. As you can see, our people don't exactly trust outsiders. Not after what they did to our planet."

"Wait, ain't this your home planet?" Kilowog asked.

"No. Our home planet, Volkreg, is now uninhabitable," Naaman elaborated. "Constant war between our warlords, started by those of other races, made our home into a battlefield, turning it into nothing but a desert wasteland. It's a dead world now," he answered sadly, bowing his head.

"Well, that explains why _some_ of us have a such negative attitude towards life," Kilowog muttered, glancing at Razer who glared back in return.

"Many perished there, but a few of us were able to construct space ships to escape from all the destruction. Eventually, after much searching, our people stumbled upon this planet. It sustains life and was uninhabited so we chose to settle here. As far as we knew, we were the last of our kind. But now I have hope that that is not the case," Naaman said, turning his gaze towards Razer. "We welcome you back Brother; it is good to see that there are others that survived."

"I… thank you," Razer replied uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. A reunion like this was certainly not something that he had foreseen in the near possible future. Apparently, the universe liked to surprise him.

"Anyway, if you really want the Mahdi you can accompany us back to our village once we finish loading our catch," Adira informed them before turning back towards their hoverlift. Naaman and the others began to follow her however, Zafeer remained rooted in place. She turned back to look at him questioningly. "Zafeer, is something wrong?"

At her question, everyone else looked back as well in curiosity. While Zafeer's expression had remained unchanged throughout the whole conversation, still the same tired/neutral look, his eyes had gone from hazy to focused in an instant. Following his line of sight, Adira couldn't help but shake her head at what was to come.

"You," Zafeer said suddenly.

"Oh no," she muttered.

Without another word, Zafeer stomped over to where Aya stood watching, stopping once he stood directly in front of her. Before she could react, he suddenly grabbed hold of her hands and pulled her forward.

"Please allow me the liberty of examining your body," he said in a deadpanned voice.

For a brief moment, nobody spoke, all too shocked at what he'd just said. It was so quiet a crow could be heard in the distance. It was Hal who finally broke the silence.

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Hold it there slugger!" he cried, grabbing hold of Aya's shoulders and pulling her away like a father protecting his baby girl. "Just what in God's name do you think you're doing?!" he asked, pointing a finger at his face.

Once again, Zafeer's expression didn't change. Instead, he merely tilted his head slightly. "Have I said something to offend you?" he asked innocently.

"Offend ME? How could you possibly think that it was appropriate to ask a lady something like that?!"

Adira sighed and made her way over. "You'll have to forgive Zafeer. He didn't mean what you think he meant. He loves building and tinkering with machines, and he was simply admiring your…computer."

As if to prove her point, Zafeer had gone back to Aya and was currently examining the metal piece that made up her forearm. "Such advanced circuitry, such technology. I have never seen anything such as this. Fascinating."

Adira raised her eyebrow at him. "You see?"

"Oh. Right."

She rolled her eyes at the sight. "Come on champ, we've got work to do," Adira said as she walked over and dragged him away by the back of his hood. Thankfully he didn't protest.

Hal Jordan could only blink at the sight. Yep, they were an odd group indeed.

* * *

**And that's chapter 4. For anyone interested, the some of the names I chose are real middle eastern names and I chose them for a reason. Some are obvious, some you'll have to wait and see why I chose them. Here's what the sight I chose told me:  
**

**Musa- "from the water"**

**Adira- mighty/strong**

**Naaman- pleasant**

**Zafeer- of firm and resolute intention**

**If I got the meaning wrong for any of these, feel free to let me know the real one. Seriously, reviews please? I'm not getting much feedback here!**


	5. Chapter 5

******This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 5**

"So, exactly how many people are you guys planning to feed?" Hal asked.

"You mean with these?" Adira replied with her own question. She motioned to the three strange looking alien animals, all about the size of an Earth deer. They all now lay dead on the hoverlift as it zoomed through the air.

After the three Volkregians had loaded the animals atop the "hoverlift" as they called their machine, Zafeer had taken his place at the back where the steering wheel was located while Adira and Naaman took their seats on the flat side next to the animals. Once activated, the little machine lit up with power and lifted itself about half a meter off the ground before heading off towards the same mountain Aya and Razer had been headed for previously. The lanterns flew alongside them, easily matching their speed.

"Yeah. I mean, there are only three of you! Do you all plan on eating one each?"

To this, Adira and Naaman both looked at each other strangely before laughing. "You must be joking!" Adira said, attempting to hold back her giggling with little success. "These are going to be chopped up and shared amongst the villagers. They should sustain us for about a week or so."

Hal blanched. "A whole week?!"

"Yep, maybe two if we cut back a little! We only eat once every week, and that's being generous. Back on Volkreg, most of us used to eat once every month. Now everyone has to be careful and watch their weight. All this meat goes straight to my hips!"

Hal looked back at Razer who flew next to him and gave him a look. "And here I wondered how you manage to stay so skinny all the time."

Razer only rolled his eyes at the human. "Adira," he called, "I am surprised to see that someone of your, uh, someone of your…kind is out here hunting," he said, attempting to pick and choose words without sounding condescending.

"Humph, there's no need for you to mince your words, just say what you mean. It's not like I haven't heard it before," she told him, annoyance laced throughout her words.

Hal raised an eyebrow. "What's she talking about Razer?"

Razer sighed, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that Aya couldn't hear him. "Traditionally, women of Volkreg are not taught to be warriors, nor hunters. Usually the extent of their education is on how to be a proper wife and mother."

"A tradition that I must point out is absolutely absurd and insulting! I refuse to be cooped up in a kitchen all day tending to an iron stove!" she retaliated.

Naaman chuckled. "And I could hardly imagine you doing so!" He turned towards the lanterns. "Adira here is the first female warrior to ever emerge from our people. She has done good work and I am proud to fight alongside her. She has my loyalty and respect."

"Thank you Naaman!" she declared proudly.

Zafeer, who had remained silent up until now, suddenly spoke up. "But Adira, the elders are growing weary of your willingness to defy what is customary."

Adira glanced over in his direction, a sour look gracing her face. "As if I don't already know that! Way to be such a killjoy."

Either Zafeer chose to ignore the anger she'd directed at him or he was very good at hiding it, for once again his face remained a mask of cool indifference. The lanterns had begun to wonder if the guy every showed any emotion at all. Heck, Aya was more expressive than he was!

"Forgive me Adira, I did not mean to dampen your mood, I was merely stating a fact," he fluidly replied.

"Forget about it. Anyway, we're here."

Slowing down until it was at a complete stop, the hoverlift lowered itself onto the ground as its three occupants disembarked. The three lanterns and AI followed their lead, landing on the ground next to them. Open-eyed, the four newcomers surveyed their surroundings in awe. Scattered around the mountain were many small huts built out of stone or wood. As one descended higher up the mountain, homes were no longer the small huts, but rather little caverns carved into the mountain itself. And all about, locals were walking around, working, darting in between huts or simply chatting amongst themselves. In an instant, Razer felt a wave of nostalgia come over him at the sight. It had been so long since he'd last seen his home. Though it wasn't the same planet, it was closest he had come in while.

Naaman began to haul the three dead animals over his shoulder as if they were nothing but sandbags before making his way in the direction of one of the larger huts. Razer noted that the sign hanging over the hut bore the same markings he sported on his face.

"I'm going to go deliver these to the main kitchen. You two take our guests and report to the elders," he said cheerfully.

"Very well," Zafeer said.

Adira pouted. "Naaman, can't you come with us? You _know_ the elders hate my guts!"

He chuckled. "Now Adira have some faith in yourself, they are warming up to you. Why, Elder Makin nearly smiled the last time you reported to them!" And before she could retaliate, he had already continued his trek, quickening pace, they all noticed.

"Ugh, yeah, he smiled after he ordered me to clean out manure bins of the Triclaws…"she muttered under her breath. Thus, she began dragging her feet in the opposite direction, Zafeer following obediently behind her. With no other options, the four lanterns looked back at each other, shrugged, and followed her as well.

As the group made their way through the village, Razer couldn't help but feel slightly subconscious, maybe even a little embarrassed. Whenever they'd pass someone, that person would almost immediately stop whatever it was they were doing to stare at the strange group. While most seemed fascinated, others appeared fearful, and some even seemed angry. He also took note of the few that would stop to point, all the while muttering to their neighbor. For a moment, Razer considered powering down his vibrant red armor so as not to stand out so much, but quickly pushed the idea away. He was traveling with Hal, Kilowog, and Aya and there was no way for the three of them to hide who they really were. People would still stare at him regardless, wondering why in the world he was with these strange aliens. So he kept it on, thankful that nobody on Volkreg had ever heard of the red lanterns.

On the flip side, the human seemed to be enjoying all the attention. He waved to a few of them, occasionally giving a good morning, or how do you do. On one occasion, he even winked at an attractive female Volkregian, who turned away with a light blush staining her cheeks. Though he immediately quickened his stride when a larger male Volkregian growled back at him, most likely the girl's husband. Kilowog laughed in response, nudging Hal's shoulder while unbeknownst to them, Aya recorded the interaction, storing it away into her databanks for further analysis.

Finally, the group was led to a building that was larger than all the others. Besides its size, this building appeared to be different than all of the others they'd seen before, Aya noted. Each of the smaller buildings at the top of the doorways had been engraved with a different marking. Some were engraved with a circle with lines running through it, similar to the circles that ran down Zafeer's face. Others had jagged spike designs, or arrows, or small curls. The most common had been the three straight lines pattern, greatly resembling the ones that ran down Razer's chin. Overall, she had counted six different patterns. This large building that they were currently entering had all six carved into the doorway. The AI unit took note of this as well.

Inside, the room was quite large with a high ceiling and ornate chandeliers decorating the hall, bathing it in warm light. Towards the center of the room, six large podiums of stone were lined up, each one carved with a different marking into it. Behind each one stood an elderly man of stern features. Hal could only guess that these were the elders that Naaman had been referring to. Despite their age, each one held themselves proudly as the group approached. Once they'd all made their way to the front, Zafeer and Adira stood next to each other, placing their right hands across their chests, bowing their heads. In the corner of his eye, Hal noticed Razer doing the same thing. Taking the hint, he, Kilowog, and Aya followed their lead.

"Adira of Musa, Zafeer of Mecha, it is good to see you two have returned safely from your hunting. I assume your mission was successful?" the elder with the Musa clan markings asked lightly.

"It was, Elder Amon. Naaman has already taken our catch to the main kitchen where it will be divided equally. The village will eat well this week," Adira replied.

"On separate note, I see that you have arrived wearing your _inappropriate_ attire yet again!" the one with the arrow marks pointed out.

"Forgive me if a _dress_ is ill-suited for hunting, Elder Makin," she said sarcastically.

"Nonsense, I'm sure you had plenty of time to make yourself look presentable before arriving here. I insist you do so now!"

"Wha-, are you kidding me?!" she asked, her voice full of disbelief. "There are more important issues here than my 'inappropriate attire!'"

"Adira, it is less trouble and more efficient for us all if you simply do as he requests," Zafeer answered calmly.

"Fine, fine, whatever!" she yelled before stomping off into one of the others rooms. "I'll be right back!"

Elder Makin turned to look at Elder Amon. "Honestly Amon, you must teach your niece proper manners. Hunter or not, she is still a lady!"

Hal snickered slightly. "Psst, Kilowog, this guy is like the Appa of the frontier. Senile and grouchy," he whispered to the Bolovaxian.

"We may be old, but we're perfectly capable of hearing every word said in this room _outsider_!" Elder Makin venomously replied.

Hal froze. Kilowog shook his head. "Way to make a first impression Jordan."

"Zafeer, why have you brought these outsiders to the village?" the elder of Mecha asked.

"We were confronted by them nearing the end our hunt, Elder Alim. They informed us that their ship was damaged and they require supplies located on this planet to rebuild. In particular, they require a considerable amount of the Mahdi stone," Zafeer conveyed.

"I see. Which one of you is the leader?"

"That would be me!" Hal said confidently straightening his shoulders.

"Please validate Zafeer's story," Elder Makin commanded.

"It is valid. You see-,"

"Then where exactly is this ship located?" he interrupted.

"Not far, just a little way's up North."

"Very well. You and your crew will remain confined here in a prison cell while we send a team to investigate if your claims are indeed true. After that we will deem whether it is safe or not to give you some of the Mahdi."

"Uh, just exactly how long will that be?" Hal asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"On average, about 26 days depending on how the investigation goes."

Kilowog's eyes widened. Hal's face dropped. "No offense Sir, but we can't exactly stay for 26 days. There's a dangerous threat to the galaxy and we need-,"

"You should have thought of that before you arrived here and disrupted the peace," Elder Makin said.

"Look! We're _Green_ Lanterns and it's our duty-,"

"Enough! Pink, black, I don't care what color you call your group, the decision is final!"

"I am afraid we cannot comply with that…"

Everyone stilled at the sound of the voice. Razer made his way to the front of the room and let his red lantern armor fade away, leaving him in only his civilian attire. At the sight of him, the Elder's eyes widened in surprise as some began whispering amongst themselves.

"With all due respect my Lords, we did not wish to cause any trouble, only to get what we needed and take our leave. We were unaware that this planet was inhabited."

Elder Makin raised his eyebrow at him. "And you are?"

"I am Razer of the Musa clan my Lord."

Elder Amon's eyes lit up as his smile grew. "Razer?!"

"You know this child?"

"Yes!" Amon said affectionately. "Back on Volkreg, his father Rasul was the town mechanic. It is good to see you again young Razer. I see you've grown since I last saw you!"

Before anyone could make any remark, stomping noises could be heard as everyone turned to see Adira making her way back towards the front of the room. Instead of her grey hood and tunic, she now wore a long gray flowing skirt that nearly reached the ground and a large belt, similar to the one Razer himself wore. The top part of her outfit resembled the top of Ilana's outfit he noticed, though she did not wear any headscarf, a sign that she was still unwed.

"There, happy?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Quite. Back to the matter at hand. Razer, you claim that you and your companions come peacefully. What proof do you have to support this?"

"I have nothing but my word, my Lord. This I swear upon Grotz's name," he bowed his head humbly.

Unfortunately, Makin still did not look satisfied. "And exactly where have you been all this time and why did you leave your people behind?"

To this, Razer tensed slightly, his eyes glancing down at his red ring. "That information I cannot disclose."

"You do realize that you are not setting up a good case for yourself," Makin said suspiciously.

"Well, I for one think we should let them be," Amon replied. Everyone in the room turned to look at him. "Razer was always well-mannered back on Volkreg, and I trust him as a member of my clan that he can keep his crewmates out of trouble."

"So what, you're suggesting that we let these outsiders come and go as they please simply because they have a Musa on their team?" one of the others asked.

"Not exactly," Amon said calmly. "I suggest that we have Adira, Naaman, and Zafeer accompany them whenever they are within the village to keep an eye on them. As for the Mahdi, I believe the Minara clan can decide what to do about it. What say you, Sander?" he asked turning to the man with jagged spike marks.

Elder Sander clasped his hands in front of him. "There is more than enough Mahdi to go around. I am sure we can come to an agreement."

"My fellow councilmen, does this bode well with the rest of you?"

The rest of them nodded their heads soundly at the idea, rubbing their chins slightly. All except for Makin, who grimaced at the lot of them. But at the sight of the rest of the council in agreement, he was forced to accept defeat. "Very well. Adira, Naaman, and Zafeer will be their guards. I task it to you two to inform Naaman of this development. However, should something arise and put any of the villagers in danger, this will all be on _your_ head Amon."

"I understand."

"You are all dismissed. And Adira?" he started.

She turned back towards him. His brow lowered. "Don't forget, your time is running out."

Adira glared back. "I realize that. You don't need to remind me!"

With that, the group got up and made their way out the door, all of them grateful to get away. Once outside, Hal wiped away the sweat that had been gathering on his forehead with the back of his hand. "Phew, that could have been a lot worse."

"You think?" Kilowog said sarcastically.

"Nice going there kid, you really saved our hides," he said, patting Razer's shoulder.

"Don't mention it."

"So what now?" Kilowog asked.

"Now, I suppose we show you where you'll be staying while you're here. Follow me," Adira said and she began leading them away.

"For what it is worth Adira, I, as well as many others find your outfit aesthetically pleasing," Zafeer conveyed.

"Shut up," she replied, punching the side of his arm.

* * *

**Thanks so much for all of those who did review! You have no idea how much this means to me! I'll try my best to update often, but this week is going to be killer for me, so I'm not sure when the next one will be!  
**

**Anyway, more names!**

**Makin-strong**

**Amon- trustworthy, faithful**

**Alim- knowing, wise**

**Sander- pet form of Alexander**

**Rasul- messenger **

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	6. Chapter 6

**********This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 6**

The walk through the village the second time was nearly not as nerve-racking as it had been the first time around, something Razer was thankful for. After the initial shock had worn off, most of the locals had gone about their business, stopping only to glance at the new visitors before continuing. Also, Hal had ceased all his showboating and just walked idly behind Adira and Zafeer, which was also a plus. But what relieved him the most was the idea that the elders had (mostly) accepted their presence. In all honesty, Razer had had no idea how the elders would welcome them. It had been dumb luck that Amon had happened to recognize him, a feat he had to give him credit for considering the last time he'd seen the Musa elder, he'd only been 9 years old, over a decade ago. Perhaps things were beginning to look up for him after all! He glanced over at Aya, just as she was turning to look at him, causing their eyes to meet. Almost immediately, she turned away and increased her pace. He frowned. Ok, maybe they weren't.

All of a sudden, Adira stopped, clutching her right arm. The others looked back at her curiously, wondering what was wrong. She rubbed it slightly, lifting it up and attempting to straighten it. Despite her efforts, the slight bend at the joint was visible to all those there.

"Uh, sorry for the sudden pit stop. It's just my arm has been bothering me ever since I snapped that green bat of yours," she explained, looking at Hal. "Zafeer, could you take a quick look and see if you can fix it?"

"Of course," he replied, making his way over.

Hal raised an eyebrow at the two. "Yeah, those constructs aren't meant to break so easily. I can see why attempting to do so might hurt your-,"

Whatever the human had planned to say next was suddenly thrown back in his face when she removed her glove and pulled up her sleeve. Where they'd expected to see flesh and bone, instead they saw wires and silver metal. Her entire right arm up to her shoulder was purely robotic with mobile fingers that clenched and slackened and a ball and socket at the joint, even miniature shock absorbers at the wrist. Zafeer pulled out a wrench seemingly out of his sleeve and began loosening some of the nuts on the side as if it were just an everyday occurrence.

"I think you may have bent the main support beam and you also popped the gears meshed at the elbow, that's why it won't straighten," he told her as he removed the metal sheet that kept it all hidden, revealing the inside gears and cogs. He took a closer look before he also took out a pair of pliers and began reattaching some of the fallen wires. "We will have to replace them once we return to my workshop later this evening."

Adira sighed. "Great, so I'll be walking around the rest of the day with a potentially broken arm. Wonderful."

"If I may," Razer interjected, taking step forward. "Do you mind if I take a quick look?"

The two looked back at him, Adira with surprise and Zafeer with cool indifference. "Uh, sure I guess. I don't see the harm."

Zafeer gave his head a tilt. "You know how to handle and operate machinery?"

"Heck yeah! On the Interceptor, Jordan and I handle all the minimal repairs while Red here takes care of all the complicated stuff!" Kilowog replied optimistically. "This one time he even managed to sabotage our ship without any of us knowing."

Adira blinked. "Sabotage?"

"Er, don't listen to him," Hal said nervously. "Anyway, Razer why don't you take a look!"

She held up her arm hesitantly. Wrapping his hand around her wrist, Razer gently lifted it to about eye level, inspecting the mechanisms with avid interest and intensity. After a few seconds, he pulled back and said, "Zafeer is right about the gears as well as the support beam but that shouldn't be too difficult to fix. You may not even have to replace the beam."

"The beam is too misshapen to keep and you need to maneuver the gears back into place without disrupting the other circuits. The process can be quite delicate," Zafeer pointed out.

"I am aware of that," Razer said. Holding up his ring, he constructed a special wrench which he slipped into the joint where it latched on to the two misaligned gears. With a light squeeze, the two came together with a satisfying snap. He then latched the wrench onto the beam where the construct then reformed itself into a clamp. All it took was another firm tug, and after a light pop, the beam was straightened once more. Razer took one more moment to examine his work before he stepped back. "There it should be fixed. Now try straightening it."

Sure enough, when she lifted her arm, the prosthetic limb straightened easily without a hitch. Adira smiled brightly. "It's good as new! Thanks so much!" she beamed.

"No problem. But I suggest replacing the barrel. It's far too heavy for someone your size."

"It _needs_ to be heavy otherwise it will not support the amount of weight that she exerts on it each day," Zafeer argued lightly.

"Not necessarily. If you replace the barrel with a smaller one made out a special steel alloy, not only will it be more lightweight but it will also be strong enough to withstand lifting anything ten times her weight," Razer countered.

"Hm, interesting." Zafeer turned away, his brows coming together, suggesting that he was deep in thought. "Very well, I shall keep that in mind. Thank you."

"Anyway, I think we've stalled long enough," Adira said, pulling her sleeve back into place and slipping her glove back on. "It's starting to get late. Come on, we shouldn't be too far away now!"

But before any of them could take another step forward, a loud voice rang out, one that caused Adira to visibly cringe in disgust.

"DOES MY EYE DECIEVE ME?"

"Oh Grotz, it's him…"she muttered in disdain.

From the other side of the path, a young man came bounding out towards the group skidding to a halt once he'd caught up to them, a big grin plastered onto his face. The boy was a Musa, wearing the exact same markings as Razer, and was around the same height. Although, he not as well built as the red lantern was. Instead, he was very wiry and ropey with long limbs that flopped about all over the place in comparison to Razer's fairly toned figure. In fact, the two appeared to be complete opposites. A notable difference was the eye patch that the guy wore over his right eye.

"Adira in a _dress_?! Has the end of all living existence finally come?!" he asked dramatically.

"What do you want Archer?" she asked dryly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Just came by to say hello to my favorite Lady Hunter!" he declared.

"And now that you have said hello, goodbye!" she replied turning away.

"Aw, don't be like that sweetie!" he said, sliding next to her.

She glared at him. "I _will_ hit you!" she warned.

"No you wouldn't you love me too much!" he scooted in closer. "Deep down beneath that tough exterior you struggle to uphold all the time, I know you're a caring, lovable, and shy soul just begging to be swept off your feet at a moment's notice and led away into the sunset where the beautiful-,"

WHAM!

With a single punch, she sent him flying a meter into the air, landing four meters away flat on his back. He lay there for a moment before sitting up, clutching his head slightly. "I think I see stars," he muttered.

All the while, Hal was struggling to hold back his laughter. Kilowog hadn't even bothered to try and was close to rolling on the ground he was laughing so hard. Razer simply wore a deadpanned look, rolling his eyes slightly, while Aya watched curiously. "Analyzing interaction," Razer heard her say. Zafeer sighed slightly before making his way over his fallen brethren and helping him to his feet.

"Oh, hey Zafeer," he said dizzily. "How're you today?"

"I am quite well, Archer of Musa, thank you for asking."

After shaking his head a few more times, he was back on his feet and mostly back to normal, unfortunately. "But really Adira, have you made up your mind yet? I mean, you've only got, what, two months left to decide?" he stated, his voice turning serious.

"I KNOW! I don't need everyone to keep reminding me!" she yelled, her patience growing thin.

"Hey, I'm just saying. How hard can it be to decide? You've only got three options!"

"I'm aware!"

"And I'm available!"

She growled. "For the last time, I am _not_ marrying you! You are the last person I would ever marry!"

"Ouch, that's cold!

"Go. Away." With that, she turned away from him and began leading the group in the opposite direction. But Archer just couldn't seem to take a hint and chased after them.

"Hey wait, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" he asked forlornly, and then jumped in front of Hal with enthusiasm. "Hi there, I am Archer! And you are?"

Hal smiled back. "I'm Hal Jordan of the Green Lanterns. This is Kilowog, Razer, and Aya. They're my shipmates aboard the Interceptor," the green lantern explained.

"Nice to meet you all!" he said, placing a hand over his chest and bowing slightly. "I take it you're new here?"

"Yeah, we just landed a couple of hours ago. We'll probably be staying for a few days though."

"Great! That'll give you plenty of time to take a tour of the village, try out some new food, meet the locals, and ooh-ooh, and best of all: the yearly God's festival! This year, Adira will be representing the Musa clan during the story dance!" he informed them excitedly.

Adira rolled her eyes. "Please don't remind me."

"Sounds like fun!" Hal replied.

"Hey, you had me at new food!" Kilowog said, rubbing his hands slightly.

"We don't have time to spend messing around. In case you've forgotten there are still Manhunters running about and we still need to repair the ultra-warp coils," Razer said pointedly.

"Aw come on Razer, these are your people, I thought you'd be more eager to share your customs with us!" Hal said.

"Hey, I know you!" Archer stated, getting up in Razer's face.

"No you don't."

"Yes I do!"

"_No_, you don't."

"I never forget a face! I'm sure I've seen you before," Archer said, tapping the side of his face in thought. After a minute or two, he snapped his fingers as a light bulb went off over his head. "Now I remember! We fought in the militia together back on Volkreg! Remember that time when the captain ordered us to dig the trenches in the dead of night before the battle of Kor?"

"And you kept getting him angry because it was supposed to be a sneak attack, yet you wouldn't stop talking?"

Archer gasped dramatically. "You do remember me!"

"Unfortunately…"

"I never knew you were in the militia Razer."

"Yep, the two of us were on the same team from time to time. Lost my right eye in the Battle of Kor! A tough fight that one was. That damned warlord had us all cornered but we managed to keep him back and protect the village another day!" he declared proudly. "By the way, nice outfit. Very…red."

Razer only scoffed.

"It's been a while hasn't it? The last time I saw you, you were leaving us to go home and check up on your wife!"

Everyone froze. Razer's eyes widened in horror as all eyes turned towards him. Hal and Kilowog both had their mouths hanging wide open, while Aya looked at him sympathetically. Adira's eyebrows had risen as high as they could go to the top of her face, while Zafeer blinked at him curiously. Archer remained oblivious to bomb he'd just dropped and continued to babble on.

"What was her name again? Lena, Leila?"

"Ilana…"he whispered.

"That's right, Ilana! How is she by the way? Is she traveling with you guys too?"

"No…" Razer muttered, his fists clenching.

"Really? You two seemed real close. Did something happen?"

His breath grew labored. "Stop talking…"

"Razer-," Aya said with worry, taking note as his vital signs began to grow abnormally high.

"Did you guys split up or something? Or did she just get tired of waiting and-,"

"SHUT UP!" Razer exploded, his eyes changing from blue to deep crimson red. The red light of rage emanated from every inch of his body, blaring around him like a torrent of red flames, no different to when he'd destroyed the Manhunter on Odym singlehandedly. Archer backed away fearfully until Razer grabbed him by the front of his shirt, raising him off the ground. He aimed his ring hand dangerously close to his face. "Say that one more time, I _dare_ you! Say it!" he threatened.

"I-I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I was only joking! Please don't kill me!" Archer begged.

"Razer!" Hal yelled, jumping into action. "Razer, put him down before you do something you regret!"

"Come on kid, get a hold of yourself!" Kilowog demanded. However, he paid no heed to them. Instead, his ring only began to glow even more in intensity, the red waves flowing over him in large bursts.

"_Razer_," Aya said comfortingly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "_It will be alright_," she whispered.

Razer looked back at her, breathing heavily, as she continued to stare at him with those bright blue eyes, silently begging him to calm down. Slowly, but surely, the red light began to dissipate, and with a final growl of frustration, Razer threw him down to the ground before the light died away completely.

Off to the side, Adira and Zafeer could only watch in shock. Hal's shoulders slumped in relief while Kilowog let out a breath.

"Y-you, you're crazy!" Archer cried before getting up and running off without even looking back.

"Idiot," Adira said, shaking her head.

"Hey, you okay kid?" Hal asked uncertainly. Without warning, Razer levitated off the ground, pulling away from the human's touch.

"Leave me alone," he whispered before taking off, flying further and further away from the group. Aya watched him sadly as he left.

"HEY, we're supposed to be keeping an eye on you!" Adira called to him, but he was already too far away to hear. "Ugh, what did I do to deserve this?"

"If I recall, there was that one instance-,"

"It was a rhetorical question Zafeer!" she snapped. "Look, you take these guys to their sleeping quarters. I'll go after him."

"Very well."

Thus, Zafeer returned to the group of disorientated Green Lanterns as Adira hitched up her skirt and took off in pursuit of their missing crewmate, muttering a string of curses under her breath as she went.

* * *

**Whoo-hoo, chapter 6, I'm on a roll this week! I gave up precious homework time to write this, so I hope you guys enjoy it! Razer kinda went nuts at the very end, though who can blame him? I knew someone who acted just like Archer and by the end of the day, I just wanted to stick a piece of duct tape over his mouth! He wouldn't stop!**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 7

**************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 7**

It was useless, a huge waste of time. After all that time he'd spend on Odym, it really had all been for nothing.

Razer really had no idea where he was going as he flew higher and higher into the sky. All he knew was that he had to get away to cool his head somehow. Yet the farther he flew, the more frustrated he continued to be with himself. He'd tried to learn to control his anger during his time with the blue lanterns and for a little bit, he was sure he'd at least gotten some sort of hold on the emotion. And yet, he'd just proven himself wrong again. The red lantern didn't regret what he'd done to that manhunter on Odym. It had attacked Aya; he'd had every right to destroy it. But just now…Archer hadn't threatened him, nor had he attacked him or attempt to hurt anyone. But he'd still gone on a rage and was that close to hurting an innocent, something he'd sworn he'd never do again. No, he had no excuse this time. He'd nearly lost control over nothing. And that idea alone was enough to stir up his rage anew.

Eventually he landed on a small ledge of the mountain, just on the edge of the village. From that perch, he could see the entirety of the village in front of him in all its glory. To see his people looking so happy and thriving, it was enough to calm his anger down to a decent level, though a his blood still boiled from what Archer had said before.

'_Or did she just get tired of waiting?' _How dare he speak of Ilana in such a way! She had loved him, and he'd loved her just as much. And even if she hadn't, if there had been one thing he admired about her above all else, it was her loyalty. Ilana would never abandon anyone. Why, as children, he'd distinctly remembered her giving up half of the food she scavenged to another girl, all because they'd shared one meeting. That was just the way she was. For him to speak of her so shamelessly-

Razer's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of heavy steps and erratic breathing noises coming from behind him. Turning around, he was surprised to see Adira making her way across the mountain path, only coming to a stop once she too had reached the ledge where he sat. Once there, she struggled to catch her breath before speaking.

"Next…next time you, huff, decide to…to take off like that…a warning would be nice!" she said between breaths.

"You should not have followed me then," he replied coldly.

"I was assigned to watch you and make sure you or your team didn't do anything stupid like you nearly did just a minute ago!"

"If I recall, you didn't try to stop me."

"Oh trust me, I would have enjoyed it as much as you would have," she said with a light smirk. But then her face went serious. "But still, it was foolish on your part. Think of what the elders would do if they saw. All of us would be in major trouble."

Razer's eyes narrowed into slits as he got to his feet. "What makes you think I care about _your_ standing with the elders?!" he growled, his body towering over her. "Your suitor had better learn to watch his mouth! If he ever talks about Ilana that way, next time, I will not hold back regardless of whether you or your teammates try to stop me or not. You, all of you mean nothing to me!"

The moment the last word had left his mouth Razer was suddenly caught off guard when he felt a great blow strike him on his right cheek, sending him into a crouch. He glared at her before raising a hand to the spot where she'd punched him.

Adira glared back at him with just as much vigor. "Consider yourself lucky I didn't punch you with my robotic arm," she spoke slowly, malice dripping in every word. "I couldn't care less about _my_ standing; the elders already hate me in case you hadn't noticed. You can go _choke_ on an arrowhead for all I care!" she spat.

"But my uncle, Elder Amon, he is putting his trust in you, the reason you and your team are not spending 26 days in a cell. If something happens, he's the one they'll blame and he's the one who'll lose all credibility. And if that happens, you better hope that 26 days in a cell is all you'll get because I'd rather rip your head off your shoulders. So you play nice or I'll take you out myself."

To this he couldn't help by chuckle bitterly. "You think I am afraid of death?"

"Oh I won't kill you, only beat you enough that you'll wish you were dead. After all, death is exactly what you want."

"DON'T SPEAK AS IF YOU KNOW ME!" he snapped back. "You don't know a thing about me!"

"I know enough! You're just a whiny, pessimistic child who's mad at the universe for taking your wife away. Newsflash: She's _dead_! Get over it!"

And just like before, Razer felt the red energy begin to fill him yet again, flowing off of him in crimson waves. "How _dare_ you…" he muttered under his breath. "You've never married, never felt love. You have no idea how it feels to suddenly lose it, to have everything ripped away from you in an instant all the while knowing that it's your fault they're gone. Try taking that dagger of yours and piercing it through your heart a dozen times. Maybe then you'll have an idea of what true pain feels like!"

For a moment, the two just stood there arms spread out and crouching forward, glaring at each other, enough that if looks could kill, both would have been nothing but a pile of ashes on the ground. Silence hung in the air, and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. The red light continued to roll off of Razer in great bursts, his ring raised for an unknown attack while Adira clenched two daggers in her hands. But after a minute of no movement, the moment was disrupted when she straightened her stance and lowered her arms to her side. She closed her eyes, and then opened them again. When she did, Razer was surprised to see that the hatred had drained from them, instead replaced with resolve and…resignation? And if that wasn't enough, her next words were certainly enough to startle him.

"You're right," she said slowly. "I've never married, so I wouldn't know what it feels like to lose a lover. But I do know what it feels like to lose a loved one.

"At 15, I watched as one of the warlords slew my older brother for insulting him in public. And a month later I lost my mother to the same roadside bomb that took my right arm." She turned away from him, her eyelids dropping slightly as though she were remembering it all. He could have sworn he saw tears begin to gather in the corner of her eyes as well. "Uncle Amon took me in after that. He was the only family I had left and he gave me much more freedom than I could have asked for. That's why I fight for him."

In response to her confession, Razer could feel the anger and hatred begin to subside ever so slightly. It confused him though. "Why are you telling me this?"

Adira gave him a sad smile. "You know, I blamed myself for a while after I lost my family. I stopped eating for months and just sat in my room starring at the wall. I wanted to punish myself. But then it happened. I realized something…I was still alive. I could punish myself as much as I wanted to, but no matter what it wouldn't bring them back. All I can do is live."

She took a moment to let her words sink in. Eventually, he too lowered his ring, the red light disappearing completely. She didn't need to explain anything else. And though he hated to admit it, she was right. No matter what he did, no matter how many times he hurt himself, he could never get Ilana back. And hurting those around him would make no difference either. Of course, he'd already known that. But hearing it come from someone else only made the truth more real. The hard part was just trying to accept it.

Satisfied, Adira turned her back to him and began to make her way back down along the mountain trail. Without looking back, she called to him. "Come on, your teammates are probably wondering what happened to you. Let's head back before they send a search party."

"W-wait!" he said. She stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at him. "I…I apologize for what I said before about not caring about you or your team. It was-,"

"Extremely pompous and rude?" she finished for him.

"Yes."

She shrugged. "You're forgiven. I've had worse things said to me. And I shouldn't have threatened you earlier. That was unnecessary, and I'm sorry for that."

"And for punching me?"

"No, you had that coming," she smiled before continuing back down the path once more. This time he followed her silently and without protest. That is, until another thought crossed his mind.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Is Arella still here? I wish to speak with her if you don't mind."

Adira nodded. "Sure thing. Once we get off this mountain, I'm sure we could take a little detour to her place. Although, you may want to change first. I don't think they'll grant you access while dressed like that."

"That won't be a problem," he answered, letting the red energy flow back into his ring, leaving him in his usual gray Volkreg clothing.

Adira raised her eyebrow. "Well, that's certainly convenient."

* * *

"This is where you all shall spend the night while here. I do hope you find it comfortable," Zafeer conveyed as he led the group to a small hut, not unlike many of the others. "My own home and workshop will be right next door if you are ever in need of assistance."

"Thanks a ton Zaf!" Hal said cheerfully, giving the young man a pat on the back. "Mind if I call you Zaf?"

"It does not bedevil me."

"Alright, Zaf it is!"

"Naaman shall be arriving here soon as well."

Opening up the small wooden door, the group made their way inside the tiny hut. The place mainly consisted of three small rooms separated by cloth drapes that fell from the ceiling along with a lone, old fashioned chandelier. It certainly wasn't very large, but it was comfy enough. In the largest "room", a thin mattress had already been laid out across the floor, while a smaller one meant only for one person was laid out in one of the other rooms. Off to the side were four buckets as well as a couple of blankets, pillows, some candles, and what looked like some bars of soap.

"Well, it's certainly not a five star hotel room, but it'll do," Hal said, as optimistic as ever. "But we may need a few more mattresses. There's only two here and four of us."

"The large mattress is for you to share. Unfortunately, we do not have any other mattresses to provide at the moment," Zafeer explained.

"Wait, _all_ four of us? On one mattress?"

"No. The small cot is for Aya."

Hal blinked. "O-kay. Uh, thank you for…explaining that to us. I'm sure we'll all be very comfortable here."

"You are quite welcome. If you do not mind, I must attend to a matter in my workshop. I will return shortly."

The two lanterns only nodded courteously as Zafeer gave them a light bow before exiting the hut. The second after the two heard the wooden door squeak shut, they immediately dived onto the mattress, grappling amongst each other.

"Hey, I'm the captain of the ship I call dibs on the right side!" Hal cried.

"You already called 'dibs' on the best bed in the Interceptor. I'm taking the right side Jordan! You two poozers can share the left side!" Kilowog yelled back.

Aya only watched as the green lanterns struggled unceremoniously all over the lone mattress. She briefly remembered a video recording of Hal's that she'd found while keeping watch over the Interceptor. The video included multiple nude organic females hitting each other with pillows, and the AI couldn't help but wonder if the green lanterns were partaking in the same ritual now. She was tempted to ask them, but decided against it, for a new, more important issue was at hand.

_"Green Lanterns Hal and Kilowog, it has been nearly 45 minutes and 12.3 seconds since Razer departed. Should we attempt to contact him?"_ she asked.

"I'm sure he's fine Aya," Hal answered through clenched teeth as Kilowog pinned his head to the mattress. "Besides, Adira said she'd go get him—Ow, ok, ok fine you win!"

Kilowog laughed victoriously as he let go of Hal's arms and head. "Yeah, the kid probably just needs to cool his head for a bit, and then he'll be back to his old 'cheerful' self again."

"Yeah right, 'cheerful,'" Hal chuckled lightly.

"Speaking of the kid, did _you_ know he had a wife?"

"Kilowog, I didn't even know that Razer went on _dates_! I thought he was one of those, 'one-man wolf packs,' you know?"

"Tch, must have been one brave lady, that's for sure!"

"And thick-skinned if she had to put up with him each day. Makes me curious about what kind of person she was. Wonder if she was any good looking," Hal thought, crossing his arms over his chest.

To this, Aya turned away sadly. A strange sensation had been running through her circuits from the moment they'd discovered the people of Volkreg on this planet, one that could only be compared to the one she'd experienced that time on Zamaron when Razer had discovered the truth about her physical form. She didn't know what it meant or what to call it at first, but from her research on organic emotions, there was only one that had matched up all the symptoms: guilt.

* * *

**Ta-DA! Chapter 7! Yay, hope you guys liked it! I'm looking forward to this week's upcoming episode "Scarred"! After watching the preview clip, I was all "HA! Called it!" The moment I saw the name of the episode, I immediately knew what it was referring to! **

**And now, another name:**

**Arella- angel, messenger **

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	8. Chapter 8

**********This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 8**

After the Interceptor crew had gotten settled with their accommodations, they'd waited patiently until Zafeer's return. Not long after, Naaman had joined them as well. By then, night had begun to descend over the small planet, darkness beginning to settle. All around, citizens began to light small torches and hang them next to their doorframes or places candles in the windows. Hal had to admit, after getting used to all the city lights back home as well as the bright lights on the Interceptor it was somewhat calming to see the people using natural light for a change. Zafeer had even gone ahead and lit one of the torches in their own personal hut. But one thing stood out. While most homes had lit torches, a few homes here and there had actual light bulbs or flashlights outside instead. Hal was quick to point this out to Zafeer.

"They are most likely from the Mecha clan like me. We specialize in technology more so than the other clans, so we tend to turn to it as our first option and solution," he'd explained.

Hal nodded. "Makes sense."

"On that note, Aya you have yet to dignify my question with an answer. Will you allow me to examine your body? You have my word that I will not violate any certain part of your circuitry if it makes you uncomfortable," he stated with a straight face.

Hal's eye twitched uncomfortably. "Can you not say it like that?! You're making it sound…bad."

Zafeer blinked. "I fail to see the error in my manner of speech. I am merely stating that I do not wish to force my hand upon her or cause any harm to her inner circuits."

"Ok stop, just stop!" Hal begged, putting his hands over his ears.

Off to the side, Naaman chuckled. "Careful Zafeer, we wouldn't want your fiancé to get the wrong idea."

Hal gawked. "Wait, fiancé?! You're engaged?"

"That is my current status, yes."

"Well, congratulations!" Kilowog cheered, lifting the youth off the ground to give him a bone-crushing hug. "What's she like?"

"She is…adequate. She learns quite quickly and does as she is told."

Hal and Kilowog glanced at each other, giving the other the same weird look. "What's her name?" Hal asked.

"Her name escapes me at the moment. But I am fairly certain it starts with a D."

_Ok, this is getting weird,_ Hal thought. "I'm assuming you two haven't gone on too many dates then."

"Please define the word 'date'," Zafeer stated.

"Nope, didn't think so," the human muttered. "You know, a date? Dinner and a movie? Talk about your likes and dislikes and if you have a lot in common, you ask if you can go on another and maybe another, and hopefully things get better from there?"

"You speak of courtship," Zafeer said, though from the tone of his voice, it wasn't a question this time.

"Yeah, exactly."

Zafeer's eyes narrowed slightly. "We do not exercise this practice among our people. Brides are chosen for us by preexisting relatives or by the elders, often starting at an early age."

"An arranged marriage."

"Yes. In truth, I have only met my future bride on two occasions."

"What? Why?" Kilowog asked. "Why can't people actually pick who they want to spend forever with?"

Naaman sighed. "Back on Volkreg, living conditions were quite poor. Often times, children were lucky to survive past infancy. As such, in order to keep our race alive, we had to produce as many kids as possible. Courting only takes up valuable time that could be spent expanding the race. By 18 years of age, most young men and women are already married off."

"Knartz," Kilowog muttered.

"As far as tradition goes, a young man and woman of the same clan are arranged to be married by their parents, starting from as early as infancy to as late as 17 years of age. Once married, on most occasions the newlyweds come to tolerate each other over time. Of course there are also the lucky ones, those who are raised alongside one another so they are already comfortable with the other by the time marriage comes around. Or the even luckier ones, those who truly love their betrothed, though these instances are rare," he explained.

Zafeer nodded. "Based off of observations of his actions, I have come to the conclusion that your crewmate, Razer, was one of the few who actually loved his bride. It is a shame that such a union did not last."

Hal shook his head. "We had no idea. No wonder he's depressed all the time."

"Yes, it truly is a pity. Of course, there is the opposite side of that as well. The worst case scenario is when one or both of the newlyweds express great hatred for the other. Sadly, this is more common than many wish it were," Zafeer muttered. He looked over to Naaman. "I do not understand how you continue to thrive under such circumstances Naaman."

He turned away. "I suppose one simply gets used to it."

Hal's eyes widened, Kilowog's mouth dropped slightly, and Aya blinked at him, her eyes filled with pity. "Naaman, your wife doesn't like you?" Hal asked slowly.

He nodded. "Yes. She was in love with my younger brother who was betrothed to someone else. As such she saw me as the reason for her unhappiness. That was several years ago. To this day, she still wants nothing to do with me, and I do my best to stay out of her way, only returning home when I am certain she is already asleep."

"That's rough."

"Yes. It is one of the reasons why Adira is so against marriage," Naaman explained. "Her uncle, Elder Amon, is her only living relative and through his standing amongst the elders, he has convinced them to allow her to choose her own husband. Unfortunately, none of the men of Musa appeal to her in the least, and time is running out. She is already 19. Technically, she should have been married a year ago which is why the elders have begun to pressure her even more. I believe she only has 2 months left to decide."

"Knartz, that ain't a lot of time to make a decision _that_ big," Kilowog grumbled. "Poor kid, Archer said she's only got three options left to choose from."

"Four options now."

Hal raised an eyebrow. "Four? Who's the fourth one?"

"Your teammate Razer is a Musa and is now unwed. This makes him a potential candidate."

"Hahahahaha!" Kilowog keeled over laughing. "Adira and the _poozer_? That's rich! Hahahaha! I mean, who in their right mind would want to marry someone who sulks in the corner all day?!"

"The universe has ways of surprising us all."

* * *

Farther away, Razer and Adira made their way towards a larger, more ornate looking home carved into the mountain and stood alone from all the others. Just like the building where the elders resided, this one was also marked with all of the clans above the doorway. It was majestic, yet humble all the same with simple architecture but lined with mosaic art and light paintings, a rarity amongst their people. There was no door but instead a light curtain covered the entry way.

"You go ahead, I can wait for you out here," Adira insisted.

"Didn't you say you were supposed to keep an eye on me at all times," he pointed out.

"I'm sure I can make an exception this one time. I doubt you'll cause any trouble here. Besides, don't you want your privacy?"

"Thank you," he muttered before pulling back the curtain and entering. Inside, there were no windows, only various candles lined up providing light for its occupants. All around, many other Volkregians lay on their hands and knees, hands clasped together or spread apart, staring up at the paintings that lined the walls. Each painting displayed a different God worshiped amongst the people. One held up a bundle of wheat in his hands, representing the God of harvest, while another clutched a wooden spear and net, the God of the hunt. Slowly and silently, Razer made his way past all of them, careful not to disturb the prayers. He made his way to the very back where two guards stood on either side of a doorway covered by another cloth curtain, crossing their spears over it so as not to allow any intruders.

"I wish to speak with Arella the soothsayer," Razer said softly.

"State your name," one of the guards demanded.

"Razer of the Musa clan."

"Wait here." The guard then walked inside, leaving him alone with the other one. Shortly after, he returned. "She will see you now," he informed him, stepping aside.

Taking a deep breath, Razer forced himself to relax as he pushed the curtain away and walked in. He found himself at the opening of a rounded tunnel lit only by the candles that lined the walls. Though meant to be comforting, the red lantern found himself shivering slightly as he continued through the narrow cave. His last visit had not been a pleasant one, and he anxiously anticipated what was to come this time. Finally, he reached the end of the tunnel where the mysterious soothsayer sat waiting for him. It had been a while since he'd last seen her and he'd almost forgotten how striking yet intimidating she was.

Surrounded by four bowls of burning incense, Arella sat upon a large grey cushion, her legs tucked underneath her, allowing the long, pure white robes she wore to flow across her body and pool around her, hiding every inch of skin except for her pale hands. She sported a white scarf with the familiar black spot and line running down the front to cover her hair and her head, as well as a white cloth that covered the lower portion of her face, all except for her eyes which remained closed. It was as though everything about her was meant to be shrouded in mystery. In fact, Razer had once heard a rumor that she didn't even bear any clan markings. It made sense, for she belonged to no one, no one but the gods.

"Come forth," she said in a smooth voice. He did so, sitting down on the other cushion that lay before her, crossing his legs in front of him. "It has been some time, has it not, Razer of Musa?"

"Indeed it has," he replied.

"I believe the last time you came here it was the day before you were to leave for the militia."

"You remember me?" he asked.

"I remember all of those who come to see me. Although," she stopped, leaning in a little closer, "a reading like _yours_ is quite difficult to forget."

His frown deepened. "I thought you said that you yourself cannot see what the vision is," he said, a slight bite in his words.

"You were quick to discuss it with me the minute after you'd seen it. And a good thing you did. Keeping a reading like that to oneself could make any man go mad in time. Tell me, do _you_ remember what it was?"

Razer's gaze dropped down to his hands, clenching them together as he recalled that frightening vision. "I saw myself engulfed in red flames," he said slowly, "yet they didn't burn me. The fire was strangely comforting. I felt…powerful. There were others there as well, though I couldn't make out their faces, but they too were burning."

He gulped slightly. "When you first showed me that vision, I thought it meant I would one day be sent to the abyss where the gods sentence those to eternal damnation. But now I know I was mistaken." This time, when he looked down, his gaze was not on his hands but rather directed at the red lantern ring on his finger. "It was alluding to my induction into the red lantern corps and the flames were my hatred made into red light."

"So it came true."

"Yes."

"Have you come here today only to inform me of this?"

"No. I came because I want to know what comes next! The last vision has come and gone, so where does that leave me now?"

"You want to know if the path you now walk is the correct one," Arella stated, not as a question but as a fact.

"Yes. I must know."

"Very well, I will show you. However, like I tell all the others, what you see is not set in stone. It is only one of multiple outcomes based on your current state of mind. Before you left for the militia, you said you were fighting to protect those important to you, yet you also did so out of hatred for the warlords and what they had done. The Gods picked up on your hatred and thus revealed your fate if you chose to act upon it, which you did.

So, I am telling you now, if you do not like what you see, you must be willing to make a change. One's destiny stems from one's own decisions, and no one else's. Do you understand?"

"I understand. If you're quite finished then," he growled.

"Impatient as ever. Come closer," Arella instructed.

He scooted closer, just enough so that he was less than an arm's length away from her. Cautiously, she raised her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks between her palms, pulling him even closer so that his face was now only a few centimeters from her own. Razer's could feel his heart begin to quicken, preparing for what was to come. What would the gods show him this time?

Then, Arella's eyes which had remained shut this entire time slowly began to open. The moment they had opened completely, Razer's vision was suddenly blinded by a blaring gold light that emanated from her eyes, filling his entire line of sight and sending his mind spiraling into another time and place.

* * *

'_Where am I?' was all he could think at the moment. Everything felt strange._

_He was floating, somewhere, someplace, but where? He couldn't tell. All he could see was darkness. Darkness. It surrounded him on all sides. 'Open your eyes!' he commanded himself, 'Open them so you can see!'_

_Yet, try as he might, his body wouldn't seem to cooperate for the dark was still surrounding him. 'Why? Why can't I open them?!' he thought anxiously until a wave realization washed over him. He couldn't because they already were open. This darkness, it was real, and he was trapped right in the middle of it. In the distance, a strange structure floated aimlessly along pushed by nothing in particular. His eyes struggled to make out its form in the pool of black, yet as it grew closer the truth could not be denied. It was Interceptor, only it wasn't. It was in pieces, the engine ripped right out, the wings torn clear off and the hull split in two._

_Panic began to overtake him. Scrambling about, he frantically fought to make sense of it all, to find out what was happening and what it all meant. 'Jordan, Kilowog, where are you?!' he yelled, but no answer came. _

'_Hal? Kilowog? AYA!'_

'_They are not here anymore,' an eerie, yet familiar voice called out to him. _

_Turning in the voices direction, he found his vision suddenly flooded by a vibrant white light that penetrated the dark, further hiding the voice's owner. In a vain attempt to shield his eyes, he raised an arm to his face._

'_Who are you? What have you done to them?' he cried._

'_They, along with all other living beings have been destroyed. You are the only one left.'_

'_What?! No! Why-,'_

'_I left you for last, for I wanted you to bear witness to the destruction you have brought about the universe. But now, it is time to end all life once and for all so that a new universe may be created, a far better one. It is time for you to go.' And suddenly as if it wasn't bright enough before, the light intensity increased tenfold, shining directly into his face, blinding him further._

'_NO STOP! ' he cried desperately._

'_Goodbye Razer.'_

_And in a single moment, a searing pain ran through him, as though it were disintegrating his entire being, eating him from the inside out. He was no more._

* * *

Razer gasped, pulling away. His breath came in dry gasps, his heart beat rapidly in his chest, and his stomach lurched. He felt like throwing up. The vision had been so intense, so real. The dark, the ship, the universe's destroyer, his own destruction, he'd seen, felt, and heard it all. The red lantern was only awakened from his stupor when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up to see Arella there next to him, her eyes closed once again.

In her other hand, she held out an empty bowl which he gratefully accepted, emptying the contents of his stomach into it. She waited patiently, rubbing his back slightly as he did so. Once he'd finally pulled himself together, his breathing now under control, he set the bowl down and raised a hand to wipe the sweat on his face, only then realizing that he'd shed tears as well.

"Child, it will be alright," Arella whispered calmly.

"No, no it won't," he said, his voice shaking slightly.

"Oh? Tell me, what did you see?"

"I saw nothing," he whispered.

"After a reaction like that, I highly doubt that it was nothing."

"No, I mean I saw _nothing_. The universe, all living beings were destroyed. I was the last one to die. I witnessed my own destruction as well as everyone else's. And whoever it was behind it all claimed that I was the reason it happened."

To this, she remained silent, nodding her head. "I must say, I have never delivered a reading such as this one. I always knew there was something different about you."

"Arella, I need to stop this from happening, that much is obvious, but what can I do? I don't even know when or why it happened."

"First you must sit down and relax. Then, think about everything that has happened to you in the past and everything that could or will happen. Only then can you decide the best choice of action. Sometimes, the worst of events are caused by the small things that we hardly even notice until we calm down and think for a moment. And, do not be afraid to be truthful with yourself. Lies can be the most destructive force when used for the wrong reasons."

"Are you honestly suggesting that I will bring about the universe's destruction with a lie?" he asked sarcastically.

"The universe has ways of surprising us all."

"I do _not_ have time for your mindless prattle!" he hissed. "I need you to tell me how to stop myself from somehow bringing about the destruction of all living beings, yourself included!"

"I am aware of that."

"Then TELL ME!" he yelled, getting to his feet.

Arella didn't even flinch. "Razer, I am _not_ a god. I am merely the gods' messenger. I cannot tell you exactly what you must do, only guide you along the way. What happens next lies in your own hands."

She got to her feet. "But for now, I suggest you leave and get some rest. You have just received quite a shock and need time to take it in. Go now, and do not forget that the gods are always here. If you need to speak with them, they will listen."

Without another word, Razer turned and took his leave, not bothering to look back as he made his way back through the tunnel. Once he was gone, Arella took her seat again. "Grotz help us all…"she muttered fearfully.

Razer couldn't exit the building fast enough. After a vision like that, he felt like the roof might just cave in on him. It shook him deeply, and he could only imagine the nightmares he would surely be getting later. Being a red lantern did that to you. Was he really doomed to destroy everything he touched? Apparently life liked him to think so.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Adira leaning against the wall, waiting right where he'd left her. When she finally noticed him, she casually walked over, giving him a one-sided smile. "Well, how did it go?" she asked.

He didn't answer; instead he took another deep breath, attempting to relax himself. It wasn't working out so well though.

Her brow creased. "Hey, are you feeling ok? You don't look so good," she commented.

"I…I just need some rest, that's all," he said dismissively, pulling away from her.

"Are you sure? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm _fine_!" he snapped.

"_Alright_, sheesh, I was just asking, no need to get all defensive about it. Now let's go, it's getting really late and I need to get up early tomorrow to hunt!" Adira insisted, heading off in another direction.

Taking one last look back at the small temple, Razer only sighed before chasing after her.

* * *

**Hooray for long chapters! I was hoping to get this one done today! Much thanks to drawolftiger for pointing out my mistake in the chapter. It should be fixed now. Don't be afraid to point out anything else that's out of place. But anyways, back to the story. Poor Zafeer, his is so clueless when it comes to underlying connotations. And anyone who is caught up in the series knows exactly what that vision was referring to. Pretty sure I made it quite obvious. Speaking of which, I can't wait to see the next new episode. It looks intense!  
**

**Reviews, comments, and criticism are greatly appreciated!**


	9. Chapter 9

******This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 9**

_So much for nightmares_, Razer thought miserably.

Shortly after his horrifying expedition to see Arella, Razer had followed Adira back to the hut where he and his teammates would be staying. The way back had been a fairly quiet one. He'd kept his red armor off even after they'd arrived as he figured he'd be less likely to stand out this way since it was only the two of them walking this time. Thankfully, Adira hadn't pushed him any further on exactly what he'd seen. Though, it wasn't because of her lack of knowing. She wasn't stupid, he could tell that she knew what he'd seen had shaken him up pretty badly. But frankly, the red lantern was glad she hadn't asked. Otherwise, he was unsure how he'd respond if she had. What exactly could he say_? 'Oh it's nothing really; all I saw was the total annihilation of every organic being in the universe, that's all.'_ Yeah, that would certainly go over well!

So, they'd finally returned to the small hut where Hal and the others had greeted him, going on about how worried they were, etc. Honestly, he doubted that any of them had even cared. Well, maybe Aya had, but as for the other two, he wouldn't have been surprised if they'd secretly thrown a "He's Gone!" party.

Afterwards, they'd all retired to bed for the night, Razer rather reluctantly, not at all looking forward to the vivid dreams he'd be suffering from. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, he'd been unable to even fall asleep due to the motor running right next to him! Apparently, while he was gone, the two green lanterns had taken the liberty of coming up with "sleeping arrangements." There was no arguing that Aya would get the small mattress. But as for the large mattress, after some "heavy negotiations" as they'd described it, it had been decided that Kilowog would be sleeping on the right side while Hal would sleep on the far left. And where did that leave him? Right in the middle of course!

So there he was, in his civilian clothes metaphorically sandwiched between a rock and a hard place. On his right side, Kilowog lay on his back, snoring up a storm! At first, the red lantern had hoped that in time, it would subside like it did for most normal living beings. But after over 4 hours of the motor running nonstop, he'd been forced to abandon that theory. He'd tried nudging the sleeping giant, but all that did was cause him to roll over slightly as his snores grew even louder.

Razer growled to himself in frustration, picking up his pillow and wrapping it around his head and over his ears in an attempt to block out some of the noise. It wasn't working out so well. He grunted as he felt an elbow jab him in the ribs. Oh yes, how could he forget about the other one?

Hal didn't snore, thank Grotz, but he did like to talk and move around in his sleep. Razer had been smacked in the eye, kicked in the leg, kneed in the stomach, and now elbowed in the ribs by the sleeping human who drifted off somehow despite the Bolovaxian's loud mouth (though considering that the two shared a room on the Interceptor, he'd probably gotten used to his consistent snoring). Razer barely managed to scoot away as Hal sent another punch in his direction.

"Watch it Jordan!" he said in a loud whisper.

But his words remained unheard by the sleeping green lantern. "Ngh, take that Manhunter…" Hal mumbled lightly.

Razer rolled his eyes. Even in his sleep the human loved playing the hero. Turning onto his stomach, the red lantern buried his face in his pillow and let out a frustrated groan. Forget having nightmares, he was already living one! _I know that somehow I am really going to regret saying this,_ he thought, _but could this get any worse?!_

Just then, Razer let out a gasp of surprise as he felt an arm encircle his waist, pulling him to the left side. He suddenly found himself face to face with a dreaming Hal.

"What the—Jordan, what are you doing?!" he whispered.

Hal smiled. "Mm, Carol," he purred, his right arm moving up to join the left one on Razer's waist, pulling him even closer.

Razer couldn't suppress the small scream of horror that managed to escape his lips. Immediately, he shoved the human's face away, all the while scrambling to get out of his hold. It took some effort on his part, as Hal seemed absolutely adamant on keeping him close.

"Nn, don't be like that baby," he muttered.

"Jordan! Let me go, I am _not_ Carol!" Razer struggled. Eventually, he managed to escape the human's clutches, pulling himself off the mattress and on to the hard ground. Hal kept on dreaming as though nothing had happened, his arms now encircling the empty space that the red lantern had previously been occupying. Razer shuddered in disgust. Now that had been terrifying!

Grabbing his pillow and an extra blanket, the Volkregian made his way out of the room and into the small kitchen. There, he began to set up a makeshift bed on the floor, missing his own private quarters back on the Interceptor. But once he'd settled, he still found himself unable to fall asleep despite the peace and quiet. While Kilowog and Hal were even more annoying in their sleep than when they were awake, at least they'd kept his mind distracted. Now, with nothing but the stillness of the night, Razer's mind was racing.

_What does it all mean? Who or what was it that had not only killed all living beings but also destroyed the whole galaxy? And what was my part in it? _he thought anxiously. _It couldn't have been the Anti-Monitor; it had not been his voice I heard. But why did the voice sound so familiar?_

Try as he might, Razer could not push these thoughts away. They continued to buzz inside his head like an insect in his ear, and finally after an hour of restlessness, Razer got to his feet, put on his shoes, and stepped outside for some fresh air. Standing alone out there, the red lantern took in a deep breath, the late night breeze a comfort to his senses, relieving him of some of his tension. The two moons shined high and bright in the sky alongside the stars, casting a light glow upon the world. Razer remembered the old days back on Volkreg, when seeing the moon was a special treat among his people. At night, everyone was either locked away inside fearing the warlords, or the smoke from far away battles coated the sky, making it impossible to see anything. Looking upon the village now, he found it hard to believe that the Volkregians had found peace at long last. It was almost unsettling.

"_Razer."_

His shoulders stiffened as he heard his name. However, he relaxed once he saw who it was. "Aya. I…did not hear you come out."

"_I did not mean to startle you. If you require time alone, I can-,"_

"No, it is alright, you are fine," he said.

The AI gave him a light smile, and walked over so that she stood next to him.

"_I wish to apologize," _she said after a few minutes.

"Apologize? For what?" he asked. Last he checked, she had had nothing to apologize for.

"_I apologize for the way I acted prior to arrival. My evasive behavior was illogical and irrational. I did not intend to bring you distress. It was my belief that you did not wish to be in my presence," _she conveyed sadly, her eyes turned towards the ground.

"Aya, listen to me," he said, taking her hand, "your presence doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I too apologize for giving you that belief. I never meant to harm you either.

"What I am trying to say is…is that you are…precious to me, and I like having you around," he muttered.

At the utterance of his words, Aya's lips turned upwards into a smile brighter than one he had ever seen before. Standing there with the pale moonlight reflecting off her green hardlight skin, she could not have looked more beautiful. Lifting her other hand, she laid it softly on top of his just as he held her own.

"_Razer," _she whispered softly, _"I do not wish for there to be any conflict or misunderstanding between us."_

"Neither do I," he said, drawing in a little closer. She did the same. At that moment, all he could see were the deep blue cores of her eyes, shining like starlight. If only it could last forever.

Out of nowhere, his vision flickered, as though someone had shined a flashlight directly at him. Suddenly, her eyes appeared to be not blue, but tar black, cold and lifeless. Gasping slightly, Razer pulled his hands from her grasp and began to rub his eyes irritably, leaving the AI navcom lost and confused.

"_Razer, are you alright?" _Aya asked, her tone urgent. Reaching up, she pulled his hands away from his face, forcing him to look directly at her.

When he finally did open his eyes and look back at her, he was relieved to see that her eyes had returned to normal.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just…the lack of sleep must finally be getting to me," he explained quickly.

"_You have difficulty reaching a sleep stasis? Do you require a sedative?"_

"No, no, I'll be alright," he insisted before walking back into the hut. She followed him obediently. As he returned to his makeshift bed, Aya frowned in dissatisfaction.

"_You are not resting with Green Lanterns Hal and Kilowog?" _she asked curiously.

"No! Trust me I'd rather fight Atrocitus and his entire red lantern army alone than _ever_ go through _that_ again," he expressed. "I pity whoever ends up taking care of those two."

"_But do you not feel discomfort falling asleep on such a firm surface? In my studies of organic life, I have found that most living beings enjoy entering sleep stasis on a warm and preferably soft form of bedding 89.72% of the time," _Aya conveyed.

"Yes, well, it will have to do tonight. Besides, I've slept in far worse conditions while in the militia."

"_Unacceptable." _Grabbing hold of his arm, Aya pulled him off the ground and to his feet just as he was getting settled.

"Aya, what are you doing?"

"_I will not allow you to sleep in such conditions," _she replied, stubbornly pulling at his arm, practically dragging him into one of the other rooms._ "You will rest on my mattress."_

His eyes widened. "What?! Aya no, I am not forcing you off of your bed!"

"_Negative, you are not forcing me, but rather, I am offering it to you."_

"Aya, it wouldn't be right. Really, I'll be fine!"

"_Razer, while I am downloaded into the ship, I draw power from the Interceptor. But in my physical form, I must enter a sleep mode in order to conserve energy until I recharge. While I am in sleep mode, my sensors are not affected by temperature or discomfort like organic beings are, thus making a bed for myself is impractical and unnecessary. It would be more efficient if you were to use it instead," _she explained.

He had to admit, what she said was logical if it was true. So, he didn't protest any further and allowed her to push him down onto the mattress. Afterwards, she went and retrieved the pillow he'd left behind, placing it at the top where his head would rest, and then pulling the blanket over him as though she were tucking in a young child. Absentmindedly, he couldn't help but wonder where she learned to do that. Once he was completely settled in enough to satisfy her, she took her place on the floor alongside him, watching him in the dark.

"_If you require anything else, I will be right here," _she stated. In the dark, she reached out and removed his hand from under the covers, clutching it gently.

He couldn't help but smile at her tenderness. "Thank you Aya," he whispered to her.

"_I am pleased to be of assistance,"_ she muttered in response.

He nodded. "Oh, and Aya?"

"_Yes?"_

"Could you be sure to wake me a couple of minutes before Jordan and Kilowog do? I do not want them to see us like this and get the wrong idea."

"_Noted. Is there anything else you desire?"_

"No, that should be all."

"_Goodnight then, Red Lantern Razer."_

"Goodnight Aya."

And with those last words, Aya's eyes closed and the light of her construct body dimmed as she entered sleep mode. Razer fell asleep not long after, his hand still wrapped firmly in hers. Surprisingly, he slept peacefully that night, free of any nightmares.

* * *

**Here's the latest chapter, a little shorter this time. Not much happening, mostly Razaya fluff. I needed to write some after yesterday's episode of GLTAS. Pardon my language, but that damned guardian had to go and ruin EVERYTHING! Made me furious and sad at the same time. I knew she couldn't be trusted. Anyway, after the intensity of the last chapter, I also wanted to throw in a little humor in the beginning of this one, at Razer's expense. I'm sorry but I find it funny seeing him squirm!  
**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated.**


	10. Chapter 10

**********This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 10**

Poke.

Razer grunted slightly in discomfort. The fact that the red lantern had been sleeping so peacefully at the time coupled with the physiological shock he'd received the night before was more than enough to keep him sleepy. Mumbling slightly, he attempted to swat away whatever was poking at his cheek. His assailant however was quite insistent.

Poke.

This time he gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Aya, not now," he whispered, stubbornly keeping his eyes closed. He hoped she would take the hint.

Poke.

Apparently she hadn't. Letting out a breath of frustration, Razer's eyes finally fluttered open, though rather reluctantly. "Aya, did you really have to wake me this early?" he asked. He would have gone on, but the rest of the words died on his tongue as he awoke to see two big and blue eyes staring directly at him less than a centimeter from his face. The problem being: they weren't Aya's.

"AGH!" he gasped in surprise. On reflex, he quickly raised his head to sit up, bumping heads with his uninvited guest.

"WAAHH! Owie, owie!" she cried, rubbing her forehead.

Razer continued to blink dumbly, his mouth slightly open though he was unable to speak out of confusion. His guest was…a little girl? She was currently perched on top of his stomach, straddling his body. The girl was tiny, couldn't have been any older than 2 or 3 years of age, baby fat still in her cheeks, making her unmarked face round and cherubic. The effect was only heightened by her curly silver hair tied up into a high ponytail with a big red bow while a few tendrils framed her face, complementing the long gray dress she wore. At the moment though, her face wasn't very rosy. She continued to sob, clutching her forehead where a light bruise began to form. Razer was immediately swept over by a wave of guilt.

"Uh, sorry, sorry!" he replied frantically, unsure of how to respond. The little girl only continued to weep. Thinking quickly, he reached out and began to rub the sore spot, kneading it gently with his thumb. Thankfully, it produced the desired effect as the little girl's tears began to die down a bit. She opened her big round eyes to look back at him, though her lip still trembled a little.

"There, better?" he asked softly, wiping away her tears while attempting a slight half-smile.

"Uh-huh," she sniffed, sticking her thumb into her mouth.

"Good, good," he muttered, though he was completely unaware of what to do next. What in Grotz's name was going on?! Why was there a kid in his room?! Thankfully, before he had the chance to ask, Aya walked in carrying a drink in one hand and a bucket of water in the other. She smiled when she saw him.

"_Good morning Razer. I am pleased to see that you were able reach a sleep stasis after all! I have brought you some water of 302.44 Kelvin for cleansing. Do you require any refreshment this morning?" _she asked, setting the bucket down and offering him the drink, not at all acknowledging the fact that there was a kid in the room with him.

"Uh, thank you Aya, maybe later. Who…why…?" he replied disoriented, pointing at the girl who continued to idly sit by on top of him.

This time, Aya did turn to look at her. _"My apologies. I am aware that you asked me to wake you a few minutes prior to Green Lanterns Hal and Kilowog, however, Lulu insisted that it was in her own interest to do so in my stead,"_ she explained.

"Lulu?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked down at Lulu, who continued to watch him, blinking curiously and sucking on her thumb in the process.

"_Yes. She is the daughter of Zafeer's deceased older sister. He is now her legal guardian."_

"His niece. I see," he muttered. Lulu smiled at him, giggling a little bit as some color began to return to her cheeks. Quickly, he turned his face away from her, hoping neither of them would notice the light blush staining his own cheeks. Lulu's rounded face and eyes were enough to get anyone, but when combined with her wide smile and size she looked—dare he say it—downright adorable! Contrary to popular belief, Razer was quite fond of children despite his rough exterior. He and Ilana had planned to have a couple of them until the war broke out, putting that plan on hold. Of course, it all ended once she met her untimely death. Looking back at Lulu, he'd almost forgotten what the face of a pure and innocent child looked like.

"Uppie?" she asked, holding her arms out wide in his direction.

"Huh?"

"_I believe she wishes you to carry her. She asked the same of me prior to your awakening,"_ Aya clarified.

"Oh. Right," he said. Slowly, the red lantern reached for the girl, slipping his hands under her arms and around her back. When she didn't protest, he proceeded to lift her gently as though he were lifting a porcelain doll that might break at the slightest amount of force. He then pulled her to his chest as he got to his own feet, careful not to drop her. She clung to his tunic in response. Once standing, she giggled again as he held her, cupping his cheeks with both of her chubby little hands causing even more heat to run to his face. He could feel his outer shell of stoicism slowly beginning to crack.

"Way-zer!" she cooed at him.

"Ok that's it Aya you take her!" he said hurriedly, handing Lulu over to the AI unit who gratefully accepted the little girl. Once the two had left the room, he let out a sigh of relief. A little longer there and he might have started cuddling her. And as loyal as she was, he couldn't trust Aya not to inform the other green oafs of his 'development.' No need for _them_ to know how much of a softie he was for children.

After giving his body a quick wash with the water from the bucket, Razer pulled his shoes on and pushed the dividing curtain aside, exiting the small 'room'. And just in time too. Hal and Kilowog had just awoken as well, stretching themselves out and yawning loudly.

"Morning, kid," Hal greeted him, stretching his arm across his chest. "So, where do they keep the showers on your planet?"

Razer didn't even bother pointing out that technically this wasn't his planet. It was too early in the morning to do that. Instead, he stared dully at the human for a second before handing him the bucket of water.

"Uh, what's this?" Hal asked, as if it weren't obvious.

"Your shower," he replied as he opened the wooden door. "The soap and towels are in the other room."

Once outside, Razer squinted as the sun shined down on him. All around, villagers were already up and about tending to their own work. Off to the side, he spotted Aya sitting with Lulu in the shade of a tree. The two girls seemed to be enjoying themselves, currently weaving long-stemmed flowers together into crowns and necklaces. The sight was almost enough to make him smile. Almost. Not far from where they sat, Adira, Zafeer, and Naaman were busying themselves as well though in a different way. Adira and Zafeer had removed their outer tunics, laying them on the ground, and appeared to be engaged in hand-to-hand combat while Naaman sat by watching them. Zafeer raised a fist to his head, just barely blocking the roundhouse kick that Adira had sent his way. In response, he sent a punch back at her, barely missing as she bent over backwards into a flip to dodge. Razer moved in a little closer, eager to watch.

"Hey, good morning sleepy-head!" Adira said cheerfully when she saw him, giving him a light wave. Razer nodded in response, only just then taking in her appearance. She was back in long pants and boots today instead of her dress, but that wasn't what caught his eye. Without her long-sleeved tunic and belt, all she wore on the top part of her body was the equivalent of an Earth tank top, exposing her bare arms, neck, and shoulders, ending just above the curve of her breasts. Her mechanical arm was completely exposed as well, attached right at her collarbone. The black clan marks she sported wove gracefully down her left arm while two others dipped down towards her chest, halted by the thin piece of fabric.

"Hello? Anyone in there?" she asked, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

"W-what?" he stuttered.

"I said, 'did you have a good rest?'."

"Oh. Yes, quite, thank you."

She chuckled lightly, seemingly unaware of where his eyes had wandered, thank Grotz.

"Way-zer!" Lulu squealed, tugging at his hand. "Looky!" she pointed in Aya's direction. Aya smiled back at him, a crown of blue flowers perched on her head. "See, Aya's a queen!"

With that said, Razer raised a hand to rub his temples as his vision flickered yet again.

'_They aren't here anymore.'_

_Why does this keep happening?_ he thought to himself.

"_Razer, is something wrong?" _Aya asked, removing the crown from her head. _"Does it not suit me?"_

"No…I mean, yes, no…ugh, you look fine!" he managed to say, though she still didn't look convinced.

"Looks like the party has already started!" The group turned to see Hal and Kilowog emerge from the hut. "So, what'd we miss?"

"Nothing of importance, just some early morning sparring matches," Naaman answered.

"By the way, what's for breakfast?"

To this, all the Volkregians stared blankly at each other. Adira shot a look at Naaman who only shrugged his shoulders. Even Zafeer's blinked in confusion, though his face remained cool and indifferent.

Razer sighed. "Jordan, we do not eat breakfast! To us, it does not exist," he clarified.

"Oh yeah," he muttered.

"Anyway, you guys say something about sparring? 'Cause I'm all up for that!" Kilowog declared eagerly.

"Yes, you are quite welcome to join us if it pleases you," Zafeer said.

"Hold on a second Zafeer!" Adira insisted, holding up her hand to silence him. "I've got a great idea!"

"Judging from outcomes of past experiences, I have deduced that it is never a good sign whenever you say that…" he said forebodingly.

"Shush! Here's the deal: we've been assigned to escort you wherever but the elders never said _you guys_ get to decide where to go. So, why don't we have a little competition? My team versus yours in one-on-one, hand-to-hand combat matches, no weapons, no armor. We'll fight for best two out of three!" she said, her voice filled with determination.

Hal smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Interesting offer, but what's in it for us?"

Adira smirked right back at him. "If you guys win, we're yours for the day. We'll take you anywhere you want to go."

"And if you win?"

"If we win, you-,"

"-will allow us full access to, as well as the right to study your space craft," Zafeer interrupted.

Adira glared. "Zafeer, they travel all across the galaxy, and all you want is to _study their ship_?"

"It is my desire to gain further knowledge on foreign hardware."

"Ugh, you and your machines," she groaned, palming herself in the face. "Fine, that _and_ you give a quick ride around in it!"

"Sounds like a plan to me! Nothing like an old-fashioned fist fight to start the day." Kilowog said, pumping his fist.

"Over here!" she beckoned them, leading them over to an open area where a large circle had been drawn in the dirt. "We can use this as an arena. The winner is the one who can knock out their opponent or knock them out of the circle first."

"Alright, which one of you Poozer's is first?" Kilowog asked, powering down his ring and all but leaping into the circle.

"I suppose that would be me," Naaman said, walking calmly into the ring. "We are of similar weight class after all."

The rest of them lined up alongside the ring, cheering on their teammates. All except for Aya who acted as the referee while Lulu continued to play in the grass next to Zafeer.

"Alright, go Naaman!" Adira cried.

"Come on Kilowog, you've got this!" Hal cheered.

"_Very well. You may begin."_ Aya announced.

The minute she said that, the two went at each other, slamming their weights into one another attempting to knock their opponent off balance. Kilowog grabbed hold of Naaman's arm, attempting to yank him off his feet. But Naaman quickly went limp, all of his weight falling to the ground, pulling the Bolovaxian down with him. It was quite intense, two largely built males putting all of their power into each strike. But in the end, Naaman's skill and attacks were just not enough to defeat the Green Lantern Sergeant. His strength gave way, allowing Kilowog to shove him out of the ring in one final swoop.

"Yeah, I've still got it!" he cheered triumphantly.

Naaman chuckled. "Indeed, that was a good match. You are truly the better fighter here Kilowog. I believe I need more training!" he said humbly.

"Heh, you weren't so bad yourself," Kilowog replied, helping the Volkregian to his feet. "You nearly had me there with that uppercut. That's some right arm you've got!"

"Too many swings of that club of mine!"

"Ha, that's one point for us! I'm next!" Hal said his voice full of anticipation. He powered down his own green lantern ring. "Who's up to bat?"

"Shall I handle this one Adira?" Zafeer asked without a trace of fear or hesitation.

"Sure, go for it!"

So, the two faced each other in the center of the ring. Hal immediately raised his fists to protect his head, crouching over slightly like a boxer about to strike. All his years of training came rushing back into his mind. Zafeer on the other hand didn't budge. He stood erect, his back straight, hands at his side. His face showed nothing, only indifference.

"_You may begin."_

Hal jumped into action, bouncing on the balls of his feet, circling his opponent. Zafeer didn't move_. Hm, guess I'll have to strike the first blow,_ he thought. Following this, Hal dodged to his left, at the same time sending a punch towards his opponent's side. Without even looking or moving his feet, Zafeer lifted his right hand and caught the punch, shoving his hand to the side.

"Whoa!" Hal cried as he lost his balance, sending him tumbling into the dirt.

"Come on Jordan what the Knartz was that?!" Kilowog yelled from the sidelines.

"Just a warm-up!" he yelled back. Getting back into position, this time Hal launched himself at the Volkregian, intending to slam into him full force. Instead, Zafeer merely sidestepped him, tripping the human in the process. Hal once again found himself face first in the dirt.

"Aw, this is embarrassing." Kilowog covered his eyes with his palm.

Hal growled. _Ok, just relax, there's no rush!_ he instructed himself. _Just take your time and look for a weak spot!_ With that in mind, the green lantern got back to his feet and raised his hands again. From time to time, he switched from his right side to his left in an attempt to confuse his enemy. Unfortunately, his enemy wasn't taking the bait and remained in place, studying the human as well. Taking a deep breath, Hal attacked again, throwing a hook punch, following up with an uppercut with his left and even a kick to the chest. Zafeer caught them all. After the kick, he sidestepped the human again, and shoved him from behind, pushing him to the ground for the third time.

Razer snorted. "Smooth Jordan."

Adira grinned. "I've yet to meet anyone who can get past Zafeer's iron defense."

"I'm not out yet!" Hal cried, throwing another punch aimed at Zafeer's back, only to eat more dirt when the Volkregian ducked and yanked his arm over his shoulder.

Adira burst out laughing. "Come on Zafeer, I think he's had enough! Just end it already!"

"Very well."

Hal suddenly felt himself getting picked up from where he lay, and before he could even think, he found himself hoisted off the ground, facing skywards with two hands on his backside. Without further ado, Zafeer carried the human above his head before dropping him unceremoniously onto the ground once more, this time just outside of the ring. Rubbing his head, he groaned slightly. "Ok, how did that happen?!"

"Looks like the score is tied." Naaman said.

"Way to go Jordan," Kilowog said sarcastically as the human took a seat next to him.

"Hey, I put up a good fight!" Hal argued

"Put up a good fight? Ha, he wiped the floor with you, literally!" Kilowog jeered.

"Ha, ha, ha, no need to rub it in."

Adira's grin widened as her eyes narrowed. "Looks like it's just you and me now," she said aggressively, turning her head in Razer's direction. "Hope you know how to take the heat!"

"Just try and keep up," he muttered threateningly at her.

"Oh, I'll do more than just that." The two took their places in the ring.

"Come on kid, this is all on you now!" Hal called out.

"Yeah! You're fighting for the honor of this team!" Kilowog followed up.

Naaman's fingers laced together, his face growing stern. "I hate to disappoint you, but your friend is going to lose."

"Hey, you don't know that!" Hal defended.

"Oh, but I do," the older Volkregian insisted. "You see nobody, and I mean _nobody_, has ever defeated Adira in combat."

Back in the center, the two fighters locked eyes. Razer steeled himself for what was to come, anticipating the fire that burned in her gaze.

Her lip curled into a confident smile. "I won't hold back so prepare yourself."

He nodded. She was dead serious.

Aya held up her hand to start. _"You may begin."_

* * *

**Lulu is actually based off of my little cousin personality-wise. She is not afraid of anyone. She would go up and greet a total stranger by hugging them! Anyway, I've read a couple of GLTAS fics and I only found one that depicts Razer as kid friendly, which I find odd since he and Ilana wanted to start a family. I would have thought more people would write him as actually liking children. So, that's why I added it here!_  
_**

**On a separate note, for those of you who leave a comment as a guest, or anonymous, etc. and you want a response from me, I highly suggest you sign in or make an account, because I can't really reply to your comment unless you have one. Btw, Nightmare, I got your review the first time and already made changes so the second one was unnecessary, but thank you for pointing that out.**

**Names, names, names! (well, only one this time):**

**Lulu- precious pearl**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	11. Chapter 11

**************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 11**

The moment Aya's hand went down, Adira jumped into action. In nearly over a second, Razer found her less than a breath away from him. In the next second that followed, her left fist was less than a breath away from his face! All he had time for was to turn his face away so she wouldn't smack him in the nose. His cheek on the other hand…he'd certainly have a nice bruise there later.

"Oooh," Hal cringed.

"As aggressive as ever," Naaman commented.

The blow was enough to send him sprawling onto his back, though previous experience helped him catch himself before he could slide out of the ring. He was scrambling to gather his bearings when she came upon him again. This time, he pulled himself out of the way just in time, causing her fist to make contact with the ground. But as he got to his feet, still bent over, Adira lashed out backwards with her leg, striking him from behind. He tumbled forward this time.

"Incorrect Naaman," Zafeer replied. "You see that she has decreased her speed exponentially and her mechanical arm remains unused."

It was true. Her robotic arm had been folded behind her back since the fight begun. Instead, she favored her organic left arm which she now aimed at his chest as he attempted to stand up. Razer quickly side-stepped her, avoiding her punches, and sent a kick in her direction as she stumbled. Adira hunched over, caught herself with her left arm, and swept her leg around in a wide arch, tripping him to the ground once more. Thinking quickly, Razer rolled over, pulling himself out of the dirt and back onto his feet. He sent a few more punches in her direction followed by a few kicks…all of which she dodged. Gritting his teeth in frustration, it took all of the red lantern's will power to force himself to calm down and think. Logically, in terms of strength and power, he had the advantage. If he could just land one hit, he might be able to set her off balance enough to make a comeback. Only one problem: he couldn't even get close to hitting her! Every time he attempted to fight back she'd dodge or send a counterstrike against him. Growling, Razer threw another hook punch towards her head, only to have her duck down and side-kick him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. He coughed, clutching his midsection and missing his red lantern armor. That's when he came to the realization. Adira wasn't trying to knock him out of the ring. No, she was trying to _knock him out!_ And judging from that twisted smile she now wore, she was enjoying every second of it.

"Get her Razer! Fight back!" Hal yelled from the sidelines.

"What does it look like I'm doing?!" Razer snapped back before she sent another kick towards his chest. He grunted as contact was made.

"It looks like you're getting clobbered," Hal responded.

"Oh, like you could do any better!"

To this, Adira laughed. "Aw, looks like the Lantern bad boy isn't as tough as he thinks he is! How pathetic!" she sneered, crossing her arms across her chest. "Really, is that red ring you wear the only good thing about you?"

Razer growled, feeling his rage begin to boil beneath his skin. At this point, he'd gotten fed up with synchronized strikes and had practically begun to throw himself at her. As though she'd predicted it, Adira merely side-stepped him and kicked him again, knocking him off his feet.

"Face it hotshot, without your ring, you're _nothing_," she taunted him with a smirk.

From where he lay, Razer felt his fingers begin to dig into the ground as his breathing quickened.

"Way-zer has an owie?" Lulu asked innocently, pointing towards him.

"_Yes, I believe so," _Aya worriedly replied. While his vital signs had increased throughout the bout, her sensors picked up a large spike after Adira's last comment.

"It's no wonder you couldn't protect your wife seeing as you can't even protect yourself!"

Almost immediately, the red light washed over him, covering his body in hatred in its purest form. Levitating off of the ground, Razer's hands clenched, his ring arm raised on reflex. In response, Adira raised both her fists for protection, though she had not even taken a step back.

"Oh boy," Hal muttered as he and Kilowog got up, prepared to stop whatever may come. Naaman and Zafeer had risen as well, pulling out their weapons and approaching cautiously.

Adira's turned her head towards them, fists still raised. "Stand down!" she ordered.

"Adira, it is not-," Zafeer attempted to say.

"I said, STAND DOWN! This is my fight," she commanded, turning back towards Razer. "Well? Are you going to attack, or are you too _weak?_"

"_Razer, please consider the consequences of your actions," _Aya pleaded.

_Zap her, send her flying into a burning oblivion! _his mind screamed. He wanted to, he really did, and in the past, he would have done it without any hesitation. And yet, in the back of his mind, he felt his conscious flare up in the form of a certain lantern's voice.

_Focus on the calmness of the lake,_ it said.

Taking a deep breath, Razer forced himself to lower his arm which had been aimed directly at her heart. It would only take a single shot, and despite the fact that every anger cell in his body protested, he fought to push his rage aside. Slowly but surely, the red light returned to his ring, his red armor melting away. Off to the side, he heard Hal and Kilowog let out a sigh of relief. Zafeer and Naaman had lowered their arms as well.

"Huh, should have known you wouldn't have the guts to do it!" Adira said.

He paid no heed to her taunt. Instead, the red lantern raised his own fists, prepared for the upcoming onslaught while attempting to think. With his anger cooled, Razer felt his mind begin to clear. _Focus on the calmness of the lake_, he remembered Saint Walker saying to him. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more this fight resembled his fight with the blue lantern all those months before while on Odym.

* * *

_Razer's grip was harsh as he held tight to the tree branch. It was the only thing supporting him at the moment, the only thing keeping him from collapsing to the ground. He remained hunched over, his breath rapid, sweat pouring down his face and back, soaking into his uniform. Nearby, Saint Walker merely watched him with those knowing black eyes and that peaceful smile, not showing any signs of exhaustion. Right then, the red lantern was so tempted to march over and rip that smile clear off of his face. He probably would have done it had he not felt so drained._

"_Your kicks need work," Saint Walker said, breaking the silence._

"_Thank for informing me _yet again_!" Razer replied sarcastically._

"_You're quite welcome!" he said grinning widely. Razer's eyes narrowed. He hated it when the blue lantern indirectly mocked him._

"_Razer, you are too quick to strike. While your speed and strength may get you far, the minute you go up against an opponent who is faster than you or has a better defense, such as myself, relying on those abilities alone may lead you to your demise."_

"_And what exactly are you suggesting I do about it?" Razer asked bitterly. He also hated it when he was right._

"_You must be willing to make a change."_

"_What sort of change?"_

"_Well, for starters, try to take a step back and work on your defense. Study your opponent, search for his or her weaknesses, and draw those out. Fighting does not have to revolve solely around offense, which, from what I have observed, is what most red lanterns like to believe."_

_Razer looked down at the ground and let out a sigh. Reluctantly, he let go of the tree branch and walked over to where the blue lantern stood. "Very well," he admitted. "Saint Walker, will you aid me then in achieving this _change?_"_

_Saint Walker smiled. "I am happy to be of service Brother," he said, taking a fighting stance. "Prepare yourself. I will attempt to strike you as many times as possible. Your task is to work on your defense as well as figure out my technique and fighting pattern. Almost everyone has one. Once you have, you must adapt in order to land a counterattack."_

_Razer nodded. "Then let's begin."_

* * *

_Make a change, _Razer thought. It was exactly what Arella had told him earlier. But the minute the memory had left his mind, he found Adira lashing out at him all over again. Steeling himself, the red lantern stood his ground and waited for what was to come. Right on cue, Adira threw a punch towards his side, clipping him slightly as he pulled away. She quickly followed up with another kick, throwing him back once more. But this time, instead of letting the frustration take over, his mind was reeling with information, taking note of her attacks.

_She can't use her mechanical arm, so she always punches with her left, _he thought. _She quickly follows up with a kick from her right leg. She seems to favor it over her left leg. _He got to his feet. _Meaning, her left side is wide open!_

"Hey Jordan," Kilowog spoke up. "Is it me, or does Red seem a lot more focused now?"

Hal's brow knit. What Kilowog said looked accurate. Unlike before, when he'd immediately lash out and strike out blindly once he'd been hit, this time, Razer was holding back, his eyes shifting slightly. From where Hal stood, he would almost guess that the red lantern was studying her.

"Hyah!" Adira yelled, throwing an uppercut, catching the side of his chin. He pulled back, shaking the fog away. After letting her come at him three times now, he was sure he was ready. Taking another deep breath, Razer dropped his arms, allowing them to lie at his side.

"He's letting his guard down?!" Hal cried.

"He appears to be surrendering?" Zafeer suggested, tilting his head.

"What is he, nuts?! Hey Red, what the Knartz are you doing?"

"Looks like it's all over for you. Too bad, I was just starting to have fun!" Adira laughed. Then, without another word, she bolted towards him, her left fist raised.

_1, 2, 3,_ he counted in his head right as she swung her arm around for a hook punch. Raising his right arm, Razer caught it just before it could make contact, reducing her speed in the process. He wrapped his fingers tightly around her wrist.

_Left…_

Naaman's eyebrows rose. "What's this?"

Gritting her teeth, Adira straightened her right leg.

_Right…_

Tilting her body in the opposite direction, her right leg came up in a light arch, aimed at his shoulder. Raising his left arm, Razer caught that as well, holding her in place.

_Left…_

Before she could even adjust her left leg for a counterattack, Razer had already taken a step forward, swinging his leg upward and wrapping it around the back of her knee. Adira gasped as she struggled against her bonds like an insect caught in a spider's web. But despite her efforts it was all in vain. He held her tightly, his fingers gripping her wrist and ankle. She was completely immobilized.

Adira's eyes widened as she stopped to look at his face, so close you couldn't squeeze an apple in-between them. Razer smirked, loving the shocked expression she now wore. "You were right. It _is_ over for you." he whispered.

"Let me go!" she hissed.

"If you wish!"

Then, slipping his hands further down the length of her limbs, Razer summoned all of his strength as he lifted her body off the ground. With one last battle cry, he released her left leg, swung his arms back, and tossed her off to the side, into the dirt and out of the ring. Adira let out a sound of discomfort as her back made contact with the hard ground where she skidded for a second until she came to a stop. The only noise after that was her heavy breathing, for everyone else had been stunned into silence.

After a minute of no other sounds, the silence was finally broken. Kilowog jumped to his feet, both arms in the air as he let out a hoot of success.

"Whoo-hoo! Alright Red, I didn't doubt ya fer a second!" he cried.

_Riiiight_, he felt like saying but didn't.

Aya smiled, floating into the ring to congratulate him, Lulu and Hal following behind her.

"Way to go team, we did it!" Hal said.

"_We?_ You mean Razer and I did it. _You're_ the one that lost Jordan."

"I-I don't believe it, he defeated her," Naaman said.

Next to him, Zafeer nodded. Getting up from where he sat, the Mecha warrior ran over to his fallen comrade, helping her up as she pulled her aching body out of the dirt. Her face was lowered towards the ground and she was shaking, which worried him.

"Adira, what is your status?" he asked, his tone of voice betraying him. She didn't answer.

All eyes turned towards her. Suddenly a noise reverberated from her throat. Lifting up her head for all to see, everyone's mouths began to slacken, Razer's most especially, as they all realized that she was…laughing?

Clutching her side as her laughter echoed around them, Adira continued to smile even once it had died down to a light chuckle. Razer could only wonder if she'd lost her mind. Pulling away from Zafeer's clutches, she made her way over to where the green lanterns had congregated, a big grin plastered onto her face.

"Nice going there! You passed the test!" she said.

"Test?" Razer asked skeptically.

"That's right!" she said, before her face turned serious. "I wanted to see just how well you could control your anger without hurting anyone. I couldn't just let you walk around the village knowing you were a ticking bomb waiting to blow someone to pieces at the simplest provocation. It's my duty to keep the people safe after all."

Razer's eyebrow went up. "So you were purposely trying to anger me. Is that why you said all those things during the fight?"

"Exactly. Plus, I wanted to see if I'd be able to take you on in case you _did_ go on a murderous rampage. But it turns out I was worried over nothing. Nice work!" her smile returned as she clapped him on the shoulder. He winced as a sliver of pain shot through him.

Hal stepped forward. "You know, you're not such a bad kid after all. You really do take your job seriously. I can see why you were chosen as the leader of your team. So, I'm sorry for what I said when we first met, you know, about calling you a little girl and not respecting elders." He held out his right hand in front for her to shake.

She shrugged. "No need to apologize. You were just being truthful, just like me when I said I thought you were ugly!"

"WHAT?! Why you little-"

Luckily Kilowog was able to grab hold of the human and restrain him just as he began to lash out at her. "Settle down Jordan!"

"Anyway, a deal's a deal. We'll take you anywhere you want to go!"

"That's good to hear!" another voice called out. Everyone turned to see Elder Amon making his way towards the clearing. Archer walked alongside him.

Adira's eyes lit up. "Uncle Amon!" she cried.

"I hope you don't mind, but we caught sight of your battles and decided to watch. I must say, those were some impressive victories!"

"All in a day's work," Hal said optimistically.

"He said 'victories' Jordan," Kilowog muttered.

"Yeah! That was awesome!" Archer piped up. "Although," he looked over at Razer, "You had such a great shot there when you had her immobilized like that!"

"What're you talking about?" Razer asked.

"You got closer to her than any other guy has gotten! Why didn't you _kiss_ her?!"

"WHAT?!" they all screamed in unison.

"Such a perfect opportunity, I would have taken it if I were you! Why'd you have to let it slip away like that?!" Archer asked dramatically as waterfall-like tears tumbled down his face.

WHAM!

Archer went flying, landing three meters away.

"Maybe because he's not as perverse as you are!" Adira yelled with her fist still up after punching him.

Amon cleared his throat to get the group's attention. "Anyway, I came to inform you that Elder Sander of the Minara clan will be meeting you later at the mines to discuss just how much Mahdi you will need."

"Perfect, we can head over there in a bit!" Hal exclaimed. "Thanks for telling us."

"Oh, it was no trouble at all. And I hope you all are enjoying yourselves so far!"

"_It has been quite pleasant," _Aya replied as she picked up Lulu, pulling the toddler into her arms. Lulu squealed and hugged the AI in response. _"Your offspring are very friendly!"_

Amon chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that! I will leave you to it then, the council is expecting my arrival soon. And Adira?"

"Yeah Uncle?"

He frowned. "Please put your tunic back on! It is unsuitable for a lady to show so much skin! Makin would have my head if he saw you walking around dressed like that!"

"I like it!" Archer spoke up from where he lay dazed on the ground.

"Shut up Archer!" Adira grumbled as she went retrieve her tunic to cover her tank top. After she was completely dressed, Elder Amon and Archer went on their way while the rest of them began their trek into the village. Just before they left however, Hal couldn't help but chuckle at what Amon had said.

"Heh heh, if they think that's unsuitable, wait until they meet the Star Sapphires," he whispered to Kilowog.

* * *

**Chapter 11 everybody! Sorry for the wait, it's been a busy week! Speaking of week...AGH, that finale! So many feels! I can't believe it's over! No matter, I will continue to write for Green Lantern TAS, as long as there are people here to read my stories and review them (hint, hint!). But still...that finale! I know the producers wanted it to be bittersweet, but it leaves soooo much open! For anyone who hasn't seen it yet, stop reading this and go see it NOW! (Then come back and write a review).  
**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated! **


	12. Chapter 12

******************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 12**

The Volkregians were hard at work that day it seemed. The previous day, they'd all appeared to be fairly relaxed in comparison, at least according to her research of organic interaction, Aya noted. That day, the people stopped to strike up a conversation while carrying supplies or stop and wave or pursue some other form of social activity. But today, the Volkregians would hardly give a nod or greeting. Instead, they were all running about, back and forth, hanging strange decorum and carrying large amounts of food though she doubted a single being could contain the amount of consumption. Curious now, Aya was about to question Naaman on the matter but found him happily conversing with Kilowog while Hal threw in a few quips here and there. Further ahead, Adira was messing around with Razer, punching his crossed arms though she did not appear to put much force into the punch. Razer walked alongside her, his face showing nothing as the two continued to discuss something called a "Firewind Festival" which involved various firearms. At the sight of him, Aya couldn't suppress her frown.

Razer had been acting strangely around her, ever since he and Adira had returned after his outburst with Archer. He would allow her to come close to him, accept her company, and then suddenly pull away without warning. Sometimes, he'd begin rubbing his eyes for no reason. Why, he'd exhibited this unpredictable behavior just moments ago. Aya had been happily carrying Lulu, the little girl giggling as she ran her wiggling fingers across her midsection, an action Green Lantern Hal had called 'tickling'. She'd stated that she would endeavor to acquire children of her own sometime in the future. Green Lantern Hal had chuckled and commented, "As long as you don't adopt an army of them!" Immediately following his statement, Razer had suddenly turned away, fingers pressed over his eyes, though none of the others seemed to notice this. Aya had been running scans on the interactions and yet found neither pattern nor correlation to any outside influences. Except for one. Herself. She had been present every time he'd exhibited this strange behavior. The only conclusion she could come to was that she herself had caused him discomfort somewhere along. This idea left her feeling…unsettled.

"Green Lantern Aya?"

Aya blinked, eyes turning towards Zafeer. Though his face remained neutral, his eyes shined with curiosity. "Something troubles you?" he asked.

"_I…"_ she began, secretly computing the statistics and possible outcomes of his reactions, should she convey what currently ran through her mind. _"I have been observing the change in behavior of your people,"_ she claimed. _"They appear to be quite busy today and have increased output by 29.3%. What is the reason for this change?"_

"They are making preparations for the God's Festival."

"_Archer mentioned this prior to now. Is it an event of great importance?"_

Zafeer nodded. "Yes. The God's Festival is the most important event celebrated amongst our people. It is held once every five Volkregian years. Thankfully, this planet follows the same planetary orbit pace and rotation as Volkreg. For four days, we send our praises to the Gods, thanking them for all of their blessings, as well as the gift of life through feasts, festivities, and competitions. It ends with the story dance, a traditional dance performed by selected members of each clan."

"_Interesting."_

"It used to be an important event for another reason as well." Zafeer turned his eyes towards the village. "Back on Volkreg, every clan used to live separately from each other. The only time they'd all come together was during the God's Festival. It became a symbol of hope and unity, especially during the days of the war." Looking back at her, he said, "Of course, things have changed. Here on our new planet, the clans have begun living amongst one another. I believe that this year, the God's Festival will be one of the greatest celebrations that anyone has ever witnessed amongst our people to honor not only the Gods, but also the souls of those lost in battle." Though very subtle, Aya noticed a change in his facial expressions. His eyelids dropped slightly, and his mouth was no longer a neutral line.

"_Zafeer of Mecha, did you lose someone of significance during those destructive intervals?" _she asked slowly.

He sighed. "I lost both of my parents at the age of 14. For a year, my sister and I were forced to fend for ourselves."

"_I see,"_ Aya muttered. _"I apologize if my query has brought you grief. It is my understanding that carbon-based life forms dislike speaking of those who have met their end," _she said sadly.

"It does not impair me as it did in my previous years. I have learned to place logic foremost in my mind. Letting my emotions cloud my judgment only causes faulty actions," he replied without skipping a beat.

Aya's eyebrows lowered. _"I do not understand. Green Lantern Hal operates on his emotions on a daily basis yet his decisions have helped us escape numerous situations unscathed."_

"Forgive me, I did not wish to sound condescending. Emotions may serve others well, such as your leader, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, and mine, Adira of the Musa. I am merely conveying my own wellbeing and sense of mind. It is something I learned while operating my machinery."

This statement surprised her. _"Machinery has caused you to come to this conclusion?"_

He nodded. "Please turn your attention to the structure 31.8 degrees northeast," he said, pointing in said direction. She did so, and found herself staring at what appeared to be some sort of generator from the outside. Her sensors picked up various wave frequencies being transmitted in and out of the machine at a rapid rate. She was certain that had she not been as advanced as she was, her processors would have failed trying to comprehend the speed at which they were moving. Zafeer went on to explain. "That is an EMR generator that captures electromagnetic waves in various forms and converts them into pure energy at a rate ten times faster than the speed of light."

Aya's eyes widened in astonishment. She had never seen a piece of technology accomplish such a feat before. _"Very…impressive,"_ she conveyed in awe. _"What form of organic being created such a machine?"_

"I built it," he stated matter-of-factly. "It was a difficult feat. Some materials were quite volatile, and any ill-handling would have led me to an early grave. Any piece out of place could easily bring about destruction to the surrounding people. As such, I could not allow myself to be distracted by emotions or otherwise. I learned to channel all of my attention into a logical processing chart within my own mind which I projected into my hands for desired output. From my experience, I learned to tread cautiously among social situations as well, keeping my emotions in check."

Aya took a moment to process what he'd just said. In all honesty, she thought it rather startling to meet an organic being who actually wished to suppress his feelings. From her experiences and studies, this behavior seemed backwards. The AI found herself unable to create an appropriate response to this. Instead, she found herself making further comments on the generator. _"It is a magnificent creation for a being such as you, with no access to high-speed computation programs. The message I am intending to convey is that you are quite talented."_

"I gratefully accept your praise," Zafeer replied with a curt bow. But when he lifted his head, Aya found his attention directed solely at her. "Although, I must admit, _you_ are the most impressive piece of technology I have seen as of yet. An artificial intelligence capable of deciding its own personality and bypassing its intended parameters. By definition, you are no longer classified as a machine nor an artificial intelligence, but rather, a living being."

Aya's eyes widened in shock._ "No one has ever called me a 'living being' before."_

"No one has ever called me 'talented' prior to this."

In response to his statement, Aya could feel a smile begin to overtake her physical features. Looking back at him, she found him smiling at her as well. It was a pleasant change to his usual neutral expression.

"We have now successfully exchanged greetings, conversation, and complimentary statements. It is my belief that we would now classify one another as 'friends.' Unless, I am mistaken in my reasoning?" he asked.

"_Inputting new data. Zafeer of Mecha formerly from the planet Volkreg is now a 'friend,'_ she informed him eagerly.

Before the two new "friends" could comment on their new status however, they were suddenly interrupted. "HEY!" Adira called from further ahead. "Hurry up you robots! You're falling behind!"

It was true, the two had gotten so caught up in their conversation they'd failed to see that the rest of the group had already moved on ahead. "My apologies Adira, it will not happen again," Zafeer replied as the two hurried to catch up. Once they had, his commander put her hands on her hips, a stern look gracing her features.

"Zafeer weren't you supposed to take _her _somewhere?" she asked, pointing at the toddler who still rested on Aya's shoulder.

He blinked for a moment, and then raised his chin as though he'd just remembered something. "Indeed, you are correct. I will begin my journey there at this moment if I am allowed."

"Sure, just go already!" she urged him.

"Very well. I shall take my leave." Without another word, he collected Lulu from the AI, gave one last bow, and began walking away at a steady pace.

"Buh-bye!" Lulu waved over his shoulder.

Once he was out of earshot, Hal tweaked any eye at him. "Geez, what is with that guy?! He is so _weird_! I mean, he walks, talks, even acts like a machine, heck, Aya's got more personality than him!"

"Is it just a Mecha thing?" Kilowog asked.

Razer shook his head. "I doubt it. The Mecha clan specializes in technology, but not even their most conservative members' act in such an extreme manner."

Adira sighed. "You need to cut him some slack. He had a very…different upbringing."

"Indeed. Zafeer's father was a man who was obsessed with seeking technological perfection," Naaman explained, "so much in fact, that he began to view his own mechanical creations as his children in place of his own flesh and blood. As a result, Zafeer grew up struggling for his father's affection, taking on numerous computerized characteristics in order to increase his own worth in his father's eyes."

Hal frowned. "Ok, that's just messed up! A kid having to compete with a machine?!"

"Yeah, and because of that, he grew up with hardly any social interaction. And to top it off, he now has Lulu to take care of _and_ his engagement to deal with," Adira followed up. "Zafeer tries so hard, but he still has a long way to go. It's really upsetting," she said sadly. "I wish there was something I could do to help, but…"

"I'm sure just being in yours and Naaman's company helps more than you know," Hal said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I hope you're right…but anyway, let's not focus on the negatives! We're all yours for the day, so is there anything in particular you'd like to know, any place you want to see?" Adira asked as they continued walking in the direction of the mines.

"_I am interested in learning the specifics of each individual clan. What distinguishes one from the other, and why are your markings held in such high regard?" _Aya asked curiously.

Adira crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Every Volkregian is taught the basics of each different clan. If you wanted to know so badly, you could have had Razer tell you!"

"Yeah, well, Razer here doesn't like to share!" Kilowog stated, giving him a pointed look.

"Hm, I see where you're coming from. Alright then, do you want the lengthy details, or the nutshell version?"

"_I fail to see how the outer coat of an embryonic plant has any relevance to your culture."_

"No, no, Aya, it's a figure of speech," Hal explained. "She's asking if you want a quick summary instead."

"_I suppose that will be sufficient," _Aya replied after a moment of thought.

"Naaman, think you can help her out?" Adira asked.

"It shouldn't be a problem. Let's see…" he started. "To answer your second question, our markings represent our ancestry and origins. They stand for who we are as a person, as well as what we believe in. You see, there are six clans in all. There are the three largest and most prominent clans, and then there are the smaller ones that broke off from the original ones. The three main clans are the Musa clan, the Hutar clan, and the Minara clan. Early on, each clan was distinguished by their trade. The largest one is the Musa clan. They were the farmers. On Volkreg, the very first Musa clan members settled on plots of land that surrounded the largest river on the planet. The river provided plenty of water for the people and kept the soil moist for plantations. The markings that the Musa bear symbolize the river from which they made their living. In fact, the name 'Musa' stems from our word for 'running river'."

Hal rubbed his chin. "Makes sense," he said, glancing over at Razer and Adira, studying their markings. In a way, they did sort of resemble flowing water. "Anyway, continue!"

"The second largest is my own clan, the Hutar clan. We were the hunters and the warriors. Unlike the Musa clan, we were more like nomads, constantly moving around and following the game. Our markings represent the very first tool ever developed for hunting: the spear." He motioned to his own markings, the two sharp arrows on his face. "We are also the most…conservative clan around."

"Hence why Elder Makin hates me! He doesn't believe a Musa, much less a girl, should be a hunter or a warrior!" Adira complained.

"Aw, what does he know?" Kilowog said, patting her back. "You're tougher than half the new recruits on Oa!" She smiled gratefully at him.

"The third one is the Minara clan. They are the miners. The Minara clan made a living mining minerals, gems, and stones from the mountains, using them for fuel and tools. Their homes were the caves and tunnels built into the mountains, thus their markings are the jagged spikes, representing the mountaintops. But over time, various members began to find greater use from these minerals and began experimenting. Soon, their tools grew more elaborate, completing tasks that normally would require ten men at least. These select few then rallied together, focused on the expansion of their contraptions. Thus, from the Minara clan, the Mecha clan was born. Their markings symbolize the gears and cogs that make up the interior of their early creations.

Within the Musa clan, one man soon discovered different types of plants. He realized these plants could be used for medicine, food, and much more. Passing on his knowledge to others, this man became the very first member of the Botane clan. Their specialty became the study and use of plant science. Their markings are the rounded, winding spiral like designs across their cheeks, representing vines.

As for the Hutar clan, one family one day decided, instead of hunting the animals, they could raise them instead. Others followed their example, making pens for the creatures, learning how to care for the different beasts. They discovered that some animals, when tamed and domesticated, become loyal companions. So came about the creation of the Jackum clan who specialize in livestock. Their marks consist of four straight diagonal marks, two on each cheek, resembling the whiskers of some of the animals they care for. I believe that should be all of them."

"_Fascinating," _Aya conveyed. _"If you do not mind, I have recorded this information in my personal databanks."_

"I don't mind at all! In fact, it pleases me that you take such an avid interest in our people."

"Heh heh, never took you as a farm type," Hal teased, throwing an arm around Razer, who scowled at him.

"Well, just because you were part of one clan doesn't mean your future was set in stone. Members of one clan could become apprentices to another. And of course, every clan had its builders, teachers, etc." Adira said.

"Oh, so what were _you_ before?" Hal asked Razer.

Razer's eyes narrowed. "I _was_ a farmer."

Hal snorted, attempting to contain his giggling.

"So, those marks are the only things that distinguish what clan you're in?" Kilowog asked.

"Not exactly. Since you can only marry within your clan, every clan has certain traits that stand out from each other. For example, the Hutar clansmen are usually taller and well-built in comparison to the others," she said, motioning towards Naaman. His size was hard to miss.

"And don't forget the infamous Musa hair!" Naaman laughed, rubbing his hand over Adira's head. She playfully shoved it away. "It's whiter than a clean, bleached rag. I've yet to meet a Musa without it!"

Hal's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, you mean _every_ Musa member has extremely white hair?"

"Yep, every single one of us!"

"_Really_," he said slyly.

Razer's eyes narrowed. "Jordan, don't even think about it."

"Hey, I didn't say anything!" Hal innocently attempted to say, though it came out sounding completely _not_ innocent. It was no surprise when a moment later, his eyes flickered back to the red lantern. "Ok, now I'm curious. Lemme see!" he cried, nearly pouncing on him.

"No!" Razer yelled, darting out of his grasp. "Stay away from me!"

"Aw come on Razer! I'm not asking you to strip down naked; I just want to see your hair!"

"Jordan if you even attempt to come near me-,"

"Kilowog, grab him!"

The red lantern had just enough time to duck down, barely missing the Bolovaxian's arms as they swooped down to scoop him up. Adira and Naaman began laughing, watching the scene unfold.

"HEY!"

"Come on kid, no need to be shy!" Kilowog laughed as he reached for him. "Double-team!" he cried as he and the human dived for him. Razer finally took refuge behind Aya, using her as a "robot-shield" while he held up his ring over her shoulder as Hal and Kilowog playfully lunged for him. Aya couldn't help the small bloom of warmth that began to fill her circuits as Razer held her close to him. For that moment, all of her worries were filed away. Instead, she was content to simply "enjoy the moment", as Green Lantern Hal would say. Razer was by her side, and that was all that mattered then.

* * *

**So, this chapter was a little different from the others. It mainly delves into the Volkregian culture. I hope I did it justice! And, we learn a little bit about Zafeer and why he is the way he is. As for the generator he built, Physics was never my strong suit, I still think Chemistry is way better! But for those who do like Physics, don't be afraid to let me know if the idea is absolutely ridiculous or stupid because I honestly had no idea what to put there! And for any of you concerned about Razaya in this story, there will be plenty of it in later chapters, so please be patient with me! **

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	13. Chapter 13

**********************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 13**

"Well, here we are, the Mines! On your right you have trees, and on your left are rocks!"

"Adira, you could put some effort into your descriptions! They are guests!" Naaman said calmly.

"Hey, I fight and hunt! Tours were never my strong suit!" Adira complained.

Naaman sighed. Adira was a great leader when it came to hunting, but she was sorely lacking in other areas. It was times like these that he was abruptly reminded that in spite of her maturity, she was still only a child and was perfectly capable of acting like one. _If only it were Zafeer with me, _he thought_._ "These are the Mines of Samal, named after the Minara God of the Stone. This mountain alone holds numerous different stones and elements essential for the village. Just as the name suggests, the Minara clan members spend most of their time here, mining silver, steel, and most importantly, Mahdi used for fuel. "

"_Recording information," _Aya stated.

"Knartz, you're saying you get all of your supplies from this mountain alone?" Kilowog asked with his neck bent backwards to see the top.

"That is correct. Once it is completely mined, the Minara clan will move on to some to the surrounding mountains."

"Yawn!" Adira said.

"Adira, please show some respect! This is the Minara clan livelihood. Without them, we'd all-,"

"-fall apart, I get it Naaman. You're starting to sound like the elders now!"

Naaman pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Hal suppressed a chuckle. He'd been right to classify Adira as the annoying little sister. She was definitely showing it now. In fact, he almost felt sorry for Naaman, having gone through similar sorts of situations with Razer and Aya. Kids will be kids.

"As I was saying, the mines sustain not only the Minara clansmen but also-,"

"Levana!" Adira suddenly yelled, running off in another direction.

This time Naaman audibly groaned. "Sometimes I wonder how I manage to follow someone with such a short attention span."

"Trust me, I know exactly what you mean," Kilowog said.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Hal asked, annoyed.

"Come on Jordan, admit it! The girl's a carbon copy of you! You may be a good leader, but you stink at regulation tests, you ignore protocols, you act on your emotions all the time, you love breaking the rules, you're always getting on the Guardians' bad side-,"

"_Alright_, I see your point!" He said as they continued after Adira.

The group found her chatting with another woman who appeared to be about just her age. The girl was a pretty little thing, quite short, barely reaching Hals' shoulder. Although her straight brown dress covered most of her skin, it hugged her body in various places, showing off her curvy figure. Her face was slightly paler than most of the other Volkregians they'd seen, almost white with a crescent-shaped scar curling around her left eye, complementing the jagged spikes of her Minara clan markings. A brown headscarf kept her hair hidden.

"Adira, I didn't expect to see you here. I was under the impression that you disliked the mines!" she said in a high, yet soft, voice.

"Not my choice, had to take care of the guests here!" she replied, motioning to the group behind her. "This is Hal Jordan, Kilowog, Razer, and Aya. They call themselves 'Green Lanterns' and they'll be staying her for a couple of days." She turned back to the group. "This is Levana of the Minara clan. She's one of my closest friends."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Levana said meekly, bowing her head to them. At that moment, she caught sight of Hal. "I-I believe I caught sight of you before. You made a winking gesture in my direction when you first arrived," she stuttered slightly.

Hal chuckled. "Can you blame me? With a face like that, your image should be carved into a moonstone for all to see!"

Kilowog rolled his eyes. "Where do you come up with these lousy pick-up lines Jordan? I'm telling ya, one of these days, all of yer flirting is going to get you into deep unteq splat!"

Levana bowed her head even more, hiding the blush that bloomed on her face while she fiddled with her clasped fingers. "Um, Adira, have you, well…have you decided yet?"

Adira groaned. "No, not yet. It seems like everyone has been asking me that lately!"

Levana giggled. "Marriage is not as bad as you may think."

Adira scoffed sarcastically. "That's because _you're_ one of the lucky ones! You were smitten with Najee since day one!" To this, Levana blushed again. "Anyway, what are you doing here Levana? Didn't you have to work today?"

She nodded. "Yes, actually I am working. We're having a little field trip today to explore the outsides of the mines!"

"Field trip?"

"Levana is a teacher at one of the schoolhouses," Adira explained.

As if on cue, at least a dozen children came bounding out of nowhere, lining up behind Levana in a large group that nowhere near resembled a line. They ranged from as young as five years old to as old as ten. The younger ones had clean pale faces, clear as slates, while the older ones had the familiar clan markings running down their cheeks. The young boys leapt for joy, wrestling amongst each other, eyes darting all over the place. The girls remained congregated together, playing with each other's hair and giggling amongst one another. Of course, all of this changed when one young boy caught sight of the Lanterns, pointing them out to his companions, as well as everyone else. Soon, the pack of children had flooded around the newcomers, "oohs" and "ahs" flying all about.

"Pretty colors!" one of the girls cooed, poking at Hal's uniform.

"Are you a super hero?!" a younger boy asked eagerly.

"Well, you could say that!" Hal answered smugly, rubbing a finger under his chin. Glancing over at Kilowog, Hal couldn't hold back his smile. When not in Sergeant mode, the Bolovaxian tended to act like a giant teddy bear, a side that he was showing off now. Kilowog laughed heartily as he hoisted two older boys onto his shoulders while a little girl wrapped her arms around his neck. Five more of them swarmed around him, clapping happily. A couple of the girls had swarmed around Aya as well. They tugged at her hands, admiring the shiny metal plates of her gauntlets. Their eyes sparkled with glee as she projected a ribbon construct from one of her pads. When he saw Razer, Hal broke down in laughter. From what he could tell, the red lantern was having a hard time trying to keep up the "tough guy" façade, especially when an identical boy and girl (probably twins) latched onto his legs. Behind him, one of the younger boys attempted to mimic Razer's pose, crossing his arms over his chest and sticking out his lower lip into a scowl. Many others followed him. The sight left Hal in stitches!

"Ok children, settle down!" Levana said. But her soft voice could hardly be heard over the noise. She tried again, a bit louder this time, but was met with little success.

Stepping forward, Adira took a deep breath. "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE LINE UP!" Almost immediately, the children did as they were told, lining up behind Levana from shortest to tallest. She gave a satisfied nod.

"Alright children, we will be taking a tour of the Mines of Samal. We'll learn how important they are, and what they represent. Make sure you stay with your partners that I've assigned you to. Once they've gotten us a guide, we will be on our way!" Levana told them. They listened with open ears, doe eyes blinking curiously. "It shouldn't be too long until—Agh!"

While she'd been speaking, a tall Volkregian male had snuck up behind her, scooping her up so that she now lay in his arms, bridal style. The youth looked twenty five years old tops, mud smeared across his cheeks, obscuring his Minara clan marks. The long sleeves of his dusty tunic were rolled up, revealing his bare muscled arms also lined with black markings. He wasn't heavy like Naaman, but his height left him towering over all of them. Levana resembled a doll compared to him.

"HEY, HEY, how's everyone doing over here?!" he asked in a booming voice that complemented his size.

"Najee, you scared me," Levana conveyed as the children cheered. "What're you doing here?!"

"I'm the tour guide you requested!" he said. "Among other things!" he winked.

"Najee please, not in front of the children!" she hissed under her breath, though her cheeks colored even more.

"Hey Najee, what's up?" Adira asked cheerfully.

"Oh hey Adira, haven't seen you in a while!" he chuckled, only then noticing the lanterns. "Who're your friends?"

"Hal Jordan, Kilowog, Razer, and Aya," she introduced them for the second time that day. "They're the-,"

"Hey, wait!" Najee cut her off, as he lowered Levana back onto the ground and stomped over. "I remember you! You're the chump that tried to make a pass at my wife!"

"Whoa, calm down, it was all in good fun, nothing serious!" Hal insisted, raising his hands in defense.

"I fail to see what's so amusing," he growled while raising a fist.

"Tch, I warned ya Jordan, it was only a matter of time!" Kilowog commented with a smug grin.

"Najee, do not harm him, he did not mean anything by it," Levana begged lightly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I am sure he simply misunderstood. Perhaps his culture is different from our own?"

At her touch, her husband stepped back and lowered his fist, though he still eyed the human suspiciously. "Hm, I suppose."

"Yeah, don't mind Hal, he doesn't know when to keep his hands to himself," Kilowog said. "From the looks of it, I'm guessing you're a miner here?"

Najee's smile returned. "You betcha! My team and I dig the tunnels into the mountains and collect any resources that may be valuable. It's a tough job, but it's extremely satisfying in the end. And it's the way of the Minara clan!" he declared proudly.

"It's also quite dangerous," Levana said nervously. "You shouldn't act so recklessly all the time."

"Daw, you shouldn't worry so much about me! It's all in a day's work!" he assured her, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist. Pulling her towards him, Levana didn't seem to mind the small pieces of dirt that stuck to her face as he pressed his lips firmly against hers. Unbeknownst to them, Aya was recording.

"Speaking of 'day's work,' the children are still waiting for their tour," she said once she'd pulled away and glanced over at the children who watched expectantly.

"Oh right, sorry about that kids!" he replied hurriedly as he rushed over to them. "Now who's ready for an adventure?!"

"MEEEEE!" they all cried happily, jumping up and down.

"OKAY! Let's get moving! Follow me!" And just like that, the group took off in the direction of one of the tunnels, leaving Adira, Naaman, and the lanterns behind.

"Well, that was…interesting," Hal blinked dumbly.

"Yeah, but ya gotta admit, they make a good couple!" Kilowog stated. "And, oh boy, those kids were great! Who knew Volkregians could be so affectionate? I was afraid they'd all be smart mouths like Red over there! "

Naaman chuckled. "I'm sure they'd love to hear of your adventures in space! We could ask the school if you could come over for story time later!"

"But first, we should focus on repairing the ship," Razer pointed out.

"Come on Poozer, try and live a little! Have fun once in a while, these are _your_ people for Knartz sake!"

"In case you've forgotten we still have the Manhunters to deal with, not to mention the Anti-Monitor!"

"Don't worry kid, we'll take care of that! But Kilowog's right, while we're here we can relax a bit, try out some new food, and work on the ship. It's going to take some time after all." Hal reasoned. Razer only scowled and crossed his arms.

"About food," Kilowog grumbled, "can we please eat something?! I haven't had anything since I ate that Muntorf last night and I'm starving!"

"Food sounds good to me too," Hal admitted.

"Well, if you're really that hungry. What would you like?" Adira asked.

"Got any hamburgers on this planet?"

"Or some glorpa beetles?"

Adira blinked. "Huh?"

Aya stepped forward. _"I have compiled a detailed list of ingredients used in the cooking process of different Earth and Bolovaxian meals. It will make food preparation easier by 37.9%. I can be of assistance if you do not mind."_

"Awesome! How about this? Naaman, you take the boys to see Elder Sander and discuss the Mahdi situation. Aya and I will take care of ingredients for food and cooking!" Adira suggested.

Naaman shrugged. "Is that alright you three?"

"I don't see any problems!" Hal said.

"Are you sure you two can handle it?"

"Trust me, as much as I'd love to hear a bunch of guys talk about rocks all day, I think I'll pass! Besides, Aya and I need some girl time, you know, to chat and stuff!" And before any of them could protest any further, the female Volkregian had already taken hold of the AI's arm, pulling her in another direction. She lead them away from the others, not stopping until they'd become a speck in the distance. Aya was tempted to halt her actions, but her team had not objected, so she'd stayed quiet. Once they were out of earshot, Adira spoke again. "Alright, spill! What's it like being the only girl on your team?" she asked curiously.

"_I am unaware of how to respond to this. I have never worked with any other female organic beings except for one occasion. It ended…poorly."_

"Ooh, sorry to hear that," Adira said. "So, what about their most embarrassing moments?"

"_There are none that I can recall that they would appreciate me conveying."_

Adira frowned. "Come on Aya, you're making this no fun! There's got to be some incident that's worth telling!"

Aya's eyes shifted and she tilted her head, suggesting that she was deep in thought. _"I can recall one incident when Razer had just exited the lavatory. He wore nothing but a towel on his head and around his waist."_

To this, Adira burst out laughing, clutching her side. "That's hilarious! I bet he loved that!"

"_He did not seem very pleased. And his cheeks changed color."_

"Even _better!_ Did you like what you saw?!"

"_I do not recall. At that moment, I was forced to do a hard reboot since my sensors suddenly began overheating."_

Her laughs grew even louder. "Oh man, that is too cute! You crack me up!" she shook her head and began wiping tears from her eyes. "As for not working well with other females, I think it's time to change that!" Adira put an arm on her shoulder. "It's high time you and I had a Girl's Day Out on the town!"

"_But we must complete our mission-,"_

"Aya, sweetie, there will be plenty of time for work! But as your buddy Kilowog said, you need to try and live a little! Besides, you want to learn more about the Volkregian culture right?"

That, Aya could not refuse. She was always willing to learn more about the universe in any way, shape, or form. And this particular experience could shed some light on some topics that had previously puzzled her, as well as explain Razer's sometimes strange behavior. Perhaps even allow her to get closer to him. He'd hardly known Adira for more than a day, and he was already letting her make physical contact. So, she willingly let Adira lead her away, eagerly awaiting what the girl would show her!

* * *

**Chapter 13, a short one this time! After writing this chapter, I read back over it and realized "Omg, I think I just wrote naruhina into the DC universe!" Totally unexpected, but that's how I imagined those two! Sorry if Adira's a bit whiny in this chapter. It's my way of ranting about my Earth Science class. It a required course but in my opinion, it's soooo boring! I hate learning about rocks!**

**Also, some thanks to my new friend Star Saber21 for your awesome ideas! (ex: Star Sapphire reference in chapter 11, Adira and Aya hanging out!).  
**

**More names! (Btw, if a name isn't listed here, that means I made it up):**

**Levana (leh-vahn-ah) - moon**

**Najee (nah-jee) - safe, friendly, affectionate**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	14. Chapter 14

**************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 14**

"What's a cow?" Adira asked, looking at the list that Aya had compiled.

"_It's a female bovine species located on planet Earth. An herbivore, it is often cultivated for consumption of its meat and milk, as well as its hide. In some Earth cultures, it is considered a sacred beast to which no harm can be brought upon it."_

"So you're saying that some humans eat it while others worship it?"

"_Precisely."_

"Huh, kind of contradictory, isn't it?"

"_Yes. There are some aspects of human culture that I am unable to process," _Aya admitted.

"No kidding. Well, food-wise the closest we have are the Triclaws. Lucky for us, there should be a couple of Jackum clan farms nearby. Come on, you can meet some of the locals!" Adira exclaimed, pulling at her arm again. If there was one thing that Aya had learned about her, it was that she used to people following her. Not that it bothered her in the least. In fact, Aya rather liked having Adira as a guide since she was so enthusiastic about sharing her culture. Plus, most of the Volkregians seemed to know her which made things easier.

"The Jackum clan is a bit different from the rest. They believe in kindness to all animals which is why they prefer to leave the hunting to us, and the Hutar clan. They even give thanks to the souls of the animals that they're forced to put down," Adira explained as they made their way over a large hill. Once the two girls had reached the top of the hill, Aya's eyes widened exponentially. The forest had opened up into a valley that lay nestled in-between the mountains, stretching far into the horizon. Within the valley, dozens of alien beasts stood grazing at the foliage in the ground. The beasts were about half the size as Kilowog with a wide girth and four straight horns sprouting from the tops of their heads. They stood on six scrawny legs, each with three toes coming out of them. But despite their size, they appeared humble in nature, watching lazily as the two went by. Nearby, a male Volkregian with the familiar Jackum clan markings galloped past them, riding atop a different type of beast. This creature looked like a cross between an Earth Canine greyhound, a male Cervidae species, and an Equidae. It was tall and incredibly skinny with a long face, pale gray coat, and antlers that sprouted from its head. It ran so fast, Aya calculated that it could probably match the speed of a cheetah.

"Of all the clans, the Jackum clansmen are some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet! Not to mention the most accommodating," Adira said as they walked past the Triclaws. Just then, the male they'd seen earlier galloped over alongside them, pulling at the reins and coming to a stop.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the _she-male!_" he sneered.

"Of course, there are always the exceptions," Adira whispered to Aya. "Get lost Jamin, I came to talk to Anas, not you! Now where is he?"

He ignored her question and looked over at Aya. "Is that your new wife? I always knew there was something queer about you!"

"Ha! If _I_ can get a girl, then what does that say about _you?_" Adira replied confidently with her hands on her hips.

To this, Jamin growled, baring his teeth. "You shut up! I'm perfectly capable of getting a girl!"

"Yeah, yeah, and I'm sure Mommy will always love you too. Now where is Anas?"

"Why you-,"

But before he could finish his statement however, Adira put two fingers into her mouth, blowing out onto them and making a high, shrill whistle! The sudden noise startled the poor creature Jamin rode on, causing it to rear up onto its hind legs. He toppled to the ground as it galloped a few meters away. As he lay on his back, Adira peered over him, a smug smile tugging at her lips while Aya looked on curiously.

"You damned half-blood! I hope Grotz hurdles you into the fiery abyss someday!"

"I guess that means I'll be seeing you there!" she chuckled.

"That's it!" he yelled, as he got up. "When I'm through with you-,"

"Oi, Jamin!" another voice called out. The three turned to see another male Volkregian riding towards them on the same type of beast while leading another one with a rope. He looked young as well, probably in his twenties, with the diagonal marks across his face. "The team needs yer help with herd three. A couple of them Triclaws wandered off and they need ya to round 'em up!"

"Why can't you-,"

"NOW!"

He gritted his teeth. "I'll deal with you later…" he grumbled. Adira only scowled back at him before he caught up to his stead and rode off. Meanwhile, the other Volkregian made his over.

"Sorry 'bout him, he just don't know when ta keep 'is yapper shut! How ya been Addy?"

"I've been just fine Anas! Listen, I need your help with something!"

"Shoot!" he answered.

"Well, first off, this is my friend Aya." She stepped aside, revealing Aya who nodded slightly. "She and her team will be staying here for a few days and they eat a lot more than we do! You wouldn't happen to have some Triclaw meat in stock would you?"

"Actually we do! Had ta put down ol' Buck, bless 'is soul. At least we don't hafta worry 'bout 'is meat goin' ta waste though. How much do ya need?"

"Aya here can give you the specifics! Also, we'll be needing some Triclaw milk too!"

"Now that won't be a problem! Always got plenty of it!"

"And a batch of grub worms!"

To this, Anas gave her a surprised look. "Grub worms? Whatever for?"

Adira shrugged. "Alien cuisine?"

"'Spose that won't be too difficultly. Guess them grubs are worth something after all. Anything else?"

"Nope, that should be everything! How much do I owe you?"

He waved her off. "This'll be free of charge. I'll have everythin' packed up fer ya in a couple of hours!" he announced. "So glad to hear you'll be stayin' with us little lady!" He gave Aya a light salute. "You stickin' round fer the God's Festival?"

"_I believe so. It sounds like an interesting event, and I look forward to experiencing it."_

Adira gasped. "Oh! By the way Anas, is your sister home?"

"I reckon she is. You lookin' ta see her?"

Adira nodded. "You bet!" Turning to Aya, she grabbed hold of her hands. "If you're staying for the festival, we need to get you some proper attire, and Rakhshanda makes some of the most gorgeous outfits!" Looking back at Anas, she asked, "Will she mind if we pay her a visit for a last minute order?"

He chuckled. "Naw, sis always 'ppreciates yer company Addy. If ya want, ya can even take Sly here to get ya there faster! He's needed a run all day." Anas tugged the other creature over. It whinnied lightly. "Just make sure to leave 'im at Rakhshanda's house alright?"

Adira clapped. "Yeeeesss!" she cheered as he handed her the reins. She pulled herself onto Sly's back then led him over to where the AI stood watching. "All aboard!" she said, holding out her hand.

Aya cautiously placed her hand in hers, unsure of what to expect. Adira effortlessly pulled her atop the creature, seating her behind her. It felt strange since the surface of the beast's back was very uneven. But once they began moving, Adira leading Sly into a light trot, she became accustomed to the experience. Her arms, which she'd previously wrapped firmly around Adira's waist, began to relax slightly the further they went. Onward they rode, soon galloping through the valley, passing the grazing Triclaws. As they continued into the village, a smile tugged at Aya's lips when they passed even more villagers who waved back at them.

"_You seem to be quite familiar with many of the citizens," _Aya commented after yet another person called out in greeting.

"Well, as a warrior of the clan, it's my duty to keep them all safe. Doesn't hurt to know the people you're protecting, right?" Adira replied cheerfully.

Aya nodded. Her statement was logical. She was about to continue with the topic when another thought crossed through her memory banks. _"Adira of Musa, what is a half-blood, and why did Jamin of Jackum call you such?" _she asked curiously.

Adira gave her a strange look over her shoulder before facing forward again. "Half-bloods are Volkregians born out of wedlock, usually with parents from two different clans, hence the name 'half-blood.' Nowadays, the term is used mostly as an insult. But amongst our people, half-bloods are frowned upon and treated very poorly. Some were even killed by their own families for fear of bringing disgrace to them all. Needless to say, most didn't live very long," she said sadly. "Personally, I strongly disapprove of the manner in which they're treated. I mean, you can't help it if your parents did something stupid! Why should you have to suffer the consequences?"

Aya frowned. _"What makes them so different from normal Volkregians that causes them to be treated in such a way?"_

"To us, marriage is a very sacred tradition. To break such a tradition is considered an unforgivable sin against the gods." Adira paused before continuing. "You know how I told you earlier that most clans have features that stand out from the others? Well, half-bloods sometimes appear different from their fellow clansmen. For example, a Hutar member who's much shorter than most, or a Minara member with darker skin, or a Jackum member with small hands-,"

"_Or a Musa member who's hair is not completely white?"_

Adira pulled at Sly's reins, bringing him to a halt at the top of a hill. By then, the crowds had begun to thin and they currently stood farther away from surrounding ears. Swinging her left leg over to the right, Adira turned so that she now sat sideways, her head turned to face Aya. "Aya, what exactly are you trying to get at?" she asked. Her smile had vanished and her brow was knit. This had to be the most serious face the AI had ever seen her wear.

Aya felt her construct fingers tighten, her face tilted down at the ground. _"What if I were to inform you that Razer's hair was not pure white, but…different?"_

"Go on," she muttered.

"_When I collided with him outside of the lavatory, the towel on his head dropped to the floor. His hair was not bleach white, but rather a silver-white that grew darker further towards the back. Is this natural?"_

She slowly shook her head. "No, it is not." Adira leaned in closer so that their faces are only a few centimeters away. "Listen Aya, you cannot tell _anyone_ what you just told me. If what you're saying is true, and Razer is…not what they think he is, he could be in serious trouble. I may be impartial to his kind, but there are others here who aren't, others that would hurt him, maybe even kill him if they found out what he is! Best case scenario, he could be banished."

"_I was not aware that such a birthright could be so severe."_

"Yes. He's lucky that his family even kept him alive. That's a secret he'll have to keep his entire life."

To this, Aya began to experience a strange sensation in her circuits. The only thing she could compare it to was a pinhole that was pulling her in and crushing her from the inside. From her studies she could only classify it as shame. If Razer really was a half-blood, and if Adira was telling the truth, then she could have put his life in danger just by telling someone about it. It was not her place to reveal such a secret!

But at the sight of her face, Adira placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, chin up, it's not your fault, you couldn't have known," she whispered with a light smile. "Don't worry I swear upon Grotz's name and the grave of my ancestors that I won't speak a word of this. In fact, let's just pretend this conversation never happened, ok?" And with that, she flipped her leg back over so she now faced forward, flicking Sly's reins so he continued walking.

For a little while neither of them spoke. Aya was still filled with shame and Adira felt awkward after hearing what she'd heard. Not wanting to keep it that way for too long, she decided to change topics. "So, got any other questions about our culture?"

"_Not at the moment, however, there is one query that I wish answered that pertains to you," _Aya told her after another minute had gone by.

"Ask away!"

"_You yourself said that marriage is a sacred tradition amongst your people, yet you appear very much against it. Why?"_

Adira sighed. "I'm not against marriage in general; I just dislike the way it's handled around here and the expectations that go along with it."

"_Such as?"_

"Well, first of all, love isn't an option to be considered. Marriage is based solely on the expansion of the clan, nothing more."

"_So you fear that you will not love the one you are assigned to marry. But is it not possible for you to come to love your mate over time?"_

"Aya, did it ever occur to you that I already have a true love?"

This caught the AI by surprise. Out of all of the possible outcomes, this had not been on her list reasons for Adira's behavior. _"Interesting. What is his name?"_

Adira chuckled. "His name is work. I'm in love with my job as a hunter and warrior. The thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of the catch, almost nothing could ever compare to that!" she exclaimed proudly. "And even as great as that feeling is, the best part is seeing the look of happiness from all the people. Sure there are some who're opposed, but watching those who actually appreciate what I do for them makes it all worth it. If I get married, my first and foremost concern will be catering to my husband's needs leaving little room for anything else. In fact, Levana shouldn't even be working anymore except that Najee actually cares about what she wants! If I get married, I'll have to give up hunting for good, and…" she trailed off for a moment, "…and I love it too much to ever stop completely."

This left the AI confused. _"I am unable to process this. It does not fit the definition of 'love' in my databanks."_

"Love comes in many shapes and forms Aya. Who can count them all?" she laughed.

Aya's brows furrowed. Levana and Najee loved one another, while Adira loved her job. She had also heard others say that they loved their families and friends. If this was true, then what did it all mean, and how does each differentiate from the others?

_What is love? _she wondered.

* * *

**Hooray for quick updates! I wanted to post this chapter early since I'll be pretty busy this week. This chapter is mainly focused on the girls' bonding time which will probably continue on into the next chapter too. Next chapter, Aya gets a change in wardrobe! And now you know the reason for the title of this story! Yes, Razer's hair is revealed, as well as the reason why he always keeps it covered! I've been wanting to add that bit for a while now!**

**Of course, more names:**

**Anas (ah-naas) - friend, intimate friend**

**Jamin (Jah-meen) - favored, right hand**

**Rakhshanda - shining, brilliant**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated! **


	15. Chapter 15

**********This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 15**

"Let's see, maybe a flowin' skirt that falls out back instead of a straight skirt? It'll make 'er look younger!"

"Agreed! And maybe a keyhole at the neck to show off her Green Lantern insignia?"

"Ooh, magnificent darlin'!" Rakshanda cried.

After a quick ride, Aya found herself standing outside another wooden hut, similar to all the others. Above the doorway had been four diagonal lines pointing away from each other, signifying the Jackum clan. Once there, Adira had introduced her to Rakshanda, Anas' sister and a seamstress for the village. Rakshanda was comparatively older than most of the other Volkregians they'd met, in her late thirties if the AI had to guess, but her outgoing personality resembled that of a child's. She definitely dressed differently from the others as well. While most of the Volkregians wore neutral colors like grey, brown, or black, Rakshanda's outfit consisted of multiple different colors that complemented each other. Even her headscarf, instead of black and grey, was a myriad of color with gold beading up the sides. From what she could tell, with the exception of Jamin, Adira's statement about the Jackum clan had proved to be correct. Rakshanda had taken a liking to Aya immediately and had been more than eager to design a dress for the AI despite the last minute request. She'd led them into her home, had set her up on a stool, and had immediately began taking measurements of her with the tape of measurements that she'd seemingly pulled from her pocket. As she'd done that, Adira explained to her the situation of the Interceptor crew, how they were staying until the ship was fixed. It was then that Rakshanda declared that she would make outfits for Hal, Kilowog, and Razer as well. Adira agreed to bring them in the very next day. Once she'd finished the measurements, she moved on to designing the dress itself.

"Hm, the trim normally depends on what clan yer in, but seein' as Aya don't belong ta none, what color would ya like?" she asked.

"Make it green so it'll match her skin," Adira insisted. "Or maybe, throw a little blue in there too to bring out her eyes!"

"I'm lovin' the way you think darlin'! That alright with you dear?" Rakshanda asked.

"_Yes, that is acceptable," _Aya replied.

"Wonderful! I just bought a new batch of emeralds and sapphires from the Minara clan this mornin'. They'll look absolutely stunnin' darlin'!"The two cheered again and went back to work.

In all honestly, Aya had been paying little attention to what they'd been doing (well, less attention than usual). She was currently occupied by another thought that continued to run on an endless loop in her database.

_What is love? _she thought repeatedly. The idea had initially seemed straightforward when it was first introduced to the AI unit. But after all that she'd heard and experienced, it was apparent that love was much more complicated than she'd previously perceived it to be. There was an entire planet based solely on its expansion, and even they had not correctly understood it at first. After sifting through all of her data for the 221083rd time since the question was first brought up, Aya had yet to fully grasp the concept. She required more information, and she was determined to obtain it!

But even with this new resolve in mind, she was left with another conundrum. How to acquire this information, and where would she find it? And how would she know if her source was trustworthy or not? This new thought continued to wrest within her even after they'd left the seamstress' house and arrived at their next stop. Adira had stopped to speak with another one of the locals, something about hunting equipment, leaving her a short distance away with Sly who grazed at the foliage. Aya leaned against the beast, still deep in thought. Normally, her sensors were powerful enough to pick up activity from great distances. She was a navcom after all! But so caught up was she in her own personal musings, Aya had not noticed a familiar presence until she was standing right in front of her.

"Good day Aya, it is pleasant to see you again."

Aya blinked, caught off guard for a moment, but quickly composed herself.

"_I am pleased to see you as well, Levana of Minara," _Aya responded.

Levana giggled lightly behind her palm. "Please, you need not worry about formalities. Simply Levana is fine!"

"_In that case, I am pleased to see you as well, Levana."_

"I see that you and Adira are spending some quality time together! I hope she has not pushed you into any uncomfortable situations!" Levana teased.

"_Negative. She has been most accommodating and informative during our expedition, or as she would call it, our 'Girl's Day Out.'"_

"That's good to hear! I just finished my work at the schoolhouse and happened to notice you standing here alone. You appeared to be quite disturbed by something judging from the look on your face." She frowned as she asked, "Something troubles you?"

"_Yes. In fact, there is something I wish to ask you."_

"Yes?"

"_Please, what is love?"_

Levana blinked, seemingly taken aback by her question. "Come again?"

"_In your own words, I would like to hear your description of the emotion known as 'love'. Rather, when you think of love, what thought comes to your mind?"_ Aya asked innocently. While somewhat hesitant at first, Aya could not think of a better source. Levana had shown obvious affection towards her husband only a few hours prior. Thus, the AI deemed her a worthy subject to answer her question and fill in some of the missing holes in her data.

Levana looked away for a moment, most likely contemplating the appropriate response. "Let's see. Love is…love is all about compromising. When you care about someone, you must be willing to make sacrifices, hopefully for the better!" she said in a soft and gentle voice.

"_Please explain your reasoning. How did you come to this conclusion?" _Aya asked with a light tilt of her head.

"Well, from personal experience I suppose. You see," she paused for a moment, turning away as she began to rub her arm, a nervous gesture from what Aya could reason, "um, before Najee and I first learned of our betrothal, I didn't enjoy interacting with people at all. Children I could deal with because they're young, but I would freeze up when speaking to someone my own age or older. I used to enjoy simply sitting in my room with a book," she explained. "Once we found out we were betrothed, Najee and I began to spend more and more time together to get to know one another. I felt uncomfortable at first, but he was very gentle with me and I slowly began to open up to him a little bit more. But one day he asked me if he could introduce me to all of his friends. I didn't want to meet any of them because I was afraid but he kept on insisting. So, finally, I did go along to meet them. And you know what?"

"_What?"_

She smiled. "It was nowhere near as scary as I'd initially believed. They were all very kind and understanding, and I ended up having a wonderful time! In fact, some of them became some of my best friends, like Adira! If I had refused to change, I might not have met them all. So you see Aya, love is all about compromising, making changes and coming to agreements so that everyone is happier. It might initially be difficult, but if that person truly loves you then they will only want what's best for you."

"_I see. I am processing the data you have just conveyed."_

"Um, did it help at all?!" she asked nervously.

"_Yes, thank you for this conversation. It has proved to be most informative."_

Levana let out a sigh of relief. At that moment, Adira finished her own conversation and made her way over. "Sorry about that, just had a little catching up to do!" she apologized. "Anyway, what's going on here?"

"_Levana was giving me detailed report on her relationship with Najee," _Aya said.

"Hm, sounds cool. I hate to cut it short though, but we need to head over to the Botane Garden if we want to get the rest of the ingredients before they all leave for the day. You ready to go?" she asked.

"_Yes, and I thank you again for this encounter," _Aya said to Levana with a light bow.

"I'm happy to help!" Levana beamed. After the two girls had mounted Sly for another ride, Aya gave the Minara female a light wave before they were galloping off again in another direction.

_Love is compromise, _she stored in her databanks.

* * *

The people of Volkreg seldom ceased to surprise the AI. As Adira tugged at Sly's reins, bringing him to a stop, Aya found the two on the opposite side of the mountain. Starting from the base of the mountain and reaching all the way up the side was a structure built almost entirely of glass. From what she could see, inside the glass, various plants grew fruitfully, planted in large rectangular flower beds. It was quite a sight to behold. Adira slide off Sly's back, led him towards the door, and tied his reins to a nearby post. Aya herself slid off before following behind as they made their way towards the glass doors of the giant structure.

"_Query, what is this place?" _Aya asked.

Adira smiled. "This is the Botane Garden, started by the Botane clan. After we arrived on this planet, they immediately began planting all different kinds of shrubs here. It started off with a just a few but then they started adding more and more, eventually adding the glass dome over it. Now it holds almost every plant ever known to the Botane clan."

"_I believe calling it 'impressive' would be an understatement. I have never seen a structure this large devoted solely to the cultivation of the Plantae kingdom before."_

"Yep, the Botane clan takes plants very seriously, especially after most of the foliage back on Volkreg was destroyed by a major drought followed by multiple sandstorms. They were pretty determined not to let it happen again!"

Stepping into the structure, Aya immediately sensed a spike in humidity inside as condensation began to gather on her metal plates. _I must be cautious not to stay inside for too long a period of time, _she noted.

"Mannan!" Adira called out, waving to a man crouched on the ground. At the sound of her voice, the man got to his feet and turned to face him, putting down the magnifying glass and lamp he held in his hands. He was an older fellow, perhaps in his late 60's with wrinkles that lined his face, slightly obscured by the winding spirals of the Botane clan marks. A few strands of white were scattered amongst his slate-colored hair on his head and the facial hair on his chin. Unlike all the other Volkregian clans, his eyes weren't blue but rather a light green instead. He almost reminded Aya of one of the clan elders, that is, until a smile tugged at his face when he saw them instead of the expected frown.

"Adira, good to see you again! What brings our finest hunter here at this time of day?" he asked in a scratchy yet firm voice.

"Hi Mannan, sorry to bother you so late! This is my friend Aya. We've got this long list of herbs that I need filled. Do you think you've got them all?"

He laughed a crackled laugh. "I'm sure I can take a look at it," he said holding out a hand. She laid the list in his palm. He lifted the magnifying glass and scanned its contents. "You're in luck! All these plants you've got listed, they're all in season! Now we just need to get someone to pick 'em!" He glanced about, looking for someone. "RAYHAAN, YOU"RE NEEDED!" he yelled at a pitch that was quite surprising for someone of his age and height. Right on cue, a boy around the age of 13 years came running up, a straw basket tucked under one arm.

He skidded to a halt. "Huff, I'm here Master!" he panted, giving the old man a salute. Opposite to his master, the boy's face was bright and innocent, still filled with childhood naivety. He too sported the same Botane clan curls and slate hair which stuck out in almost every direction in light tufts. He grinned eagerly at the sight of them. "Whoa, you're Adira of Musa!" he beamed, his green eyes sparkling at the sight of her. "I've heard all about you! They say you're the first female hunter ever! Is it true that your right arm is artificial- ow!" he cried as Mannan clipped him on the side of the head with one of his gloves.

"Quite your idolizing and help these ladies out! We're going to need everything on this list straight away!" he yelled before tossing the list to him. "This time, when you're taking from the Zari plant I don't want to see you yanking out a whole stock. You only need to clip a few leaves, understand?!"

"Yes sir!" the boy saluted again, then took off, list in hand.

Mannan shook his head as he watched him go. "That's my apprentice Rayhaan. He's a good kid, but can be overly clumsy at times, and he gets distracted easily. Still, he's got potential. He can name off every single herb right off the top of his head, if only he wasn't so scatter-brained!"

Adira chuckled. "He's young, he's still got time."

"Adira!" cried an all too familiar voice.

Adira's eyelids lowered in exasperation. "Please, please, please tell me that isn't who I think it is," she whispered. No such luck unfortunately. Aya could only watch as Archer bounded down the dirt path and coming to a stop in front them.

"What are the chances that we'd meet each other in right here in the Botane Gardens? One could hardly imagine a place that could ever be as memorable, stunning, and romantic as this, a place where life is constantly blooming all 26 hours of the day!" he cried dramatically.

"Yeah, those poison ivy vines over there are looking _really_ romantic right now," she said, cracking her left knuckle.

"Must you always turn to violence as your first choice of action?" he asked with a quivering lip.

"Leave us alone, we're busy!" she growled, pulling at Aya's arm. At that moment, Rayhaan returned, handing her a small bag of leaves.

"Come on Adira, is this not the one place where Musa clan members feel most at home, surrounded by the very specimens that have kept us alive and thriving for years! The specimens that the gods bestowed upon us and the universe to spread across the open land, providing not only sustenance but beauty that only the plants could bring upon this plain with organic-,"

_WHAM!_

And just like that, Archer went tumbling head over heels into the very plants he spoke of. "Keep talking and I'll send you into the thorn bush next!" she threatened with her fist still in the air.

"Ow," they heard him say.

Rayhaan howled with laughter. "Rejected!" he said.

"Archer, please be careful, the hertia buds are very delicate. We don't need you treading all over them," Mannan said. "And you!" he cried, smacking Rayhaan in the back of the head, causing him to grunt in pain. "Have you completed the task I assigned you yet?"

"Uh, no Master! I'll be right back sir!" he saluted, then took off again.

The old man groaned and rolled his eyes. "Children," he muttered, walking away down one of the paths. Adira followed him, leaving Aya alone and confused. While she knew that it would be best to follow as well, Archer was still splayed across the ground and clutching his head. Remembering what Green Lantern Hal had told her once before about how Green Lanterns helped innocents, she out an audible "sigh" and went to assist him.

"She's still got it," she heard him say when she took hold of his hand and pulled him up. He teetered a little bit but eventually stabilized. "Thanks for the assist, uh, Aya right?"

"_Correct," _she confirmed. _"However, I do not understand your need for self-punishment. Adira has made it quite clear that she does not return your affections. Why do you continue to pursue her?"_

Archer snorted. "Probably because she's the closest I can ever get to what I really want," he said offhandedly.

Aya's eyes widened._ "I am unable to process this. Do you mean to say that your feelings for her are not authentic?" _

"Argh, that came out wrong!" Archer admitted, rubbing his neck. "I do love her, really I do, but…it's complicated."

"_Please explain. It is my belief that she will not return for quite some time. You may speak uninterrupted for now," _Aya insisted. He had peaked her curiosity, and when that happened she tended to let it get the better of her.

"Hm," he thought for a moment. Glancing around, checking that they were indeed alone, he led her away from the path just in case. "I guess since you don't live here, it'll be alright to tell you.

You see Aya, I love her for her honesty. Whenever she hits me, I know exactly how she feels about me. In this life we live in, politeness and formalities are now used to keep people's true feelings hidden for fear of offending anyone. Nowadays, almost everyone acts to an extent, and I'm one of the worst! But Adira's completely open with her feelings, and that's what makes her so special!"

"_That much I understand. However, you have not answered my query. Previously, you said 'she's the closest I can ever get to what I really want.' What is it that you really want?"_

His smiled slowly dropped off of his face and he let out a sigh. "Aya, when I was a kid, my family had pretty much mapped out my whole life. I'd go to school, become someone's apprentice, get married to some girl, and start a family of my own. And I was alright with that because that's what I was taught, all that I ever knew! But then I got drafted into the militia and things changed. I met new people, learned more about the world through them, and…I met Razer." His hands clenched, Aya noted.

"_Yes, you stated earlier that you knew each other from your time serving in the militia. Please continue."_

He took a deep breath. "I'd met plenty of people before that, both men and women, and I enjoyed them both! I'd developed feelings for a couple of girls, nothing serious! But when I met him, it was like everything I'd ever known had been turned upside down! I felt this weird feeling, one that I couldn't understand or explain. I had to turn over every scenario in my mind at least a dozen times every time we interacted and eventually, only one answer made sense. I…I was in love."

If Aya's eyes had been wide before, they were nothing compared to the size they were now. _"Processing, processing, processing…does not compute. Your love could not add to the expansion of the-,"_

"I _get_ that! Who can really explain how love works? That's how it is. Of course, Razer was already married and even then, I knew he didn't swing that way! But once I figured it out, I felt enlightened, like I was finally being honest with myself, with who I was," he explained. "Still, it didn't change how he felt. So, I had to keep up the act and pretend that he was my friend, nothing more. I guess that's also why I started chasing after Adira, because she's the most 'male' female I've ever met! So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, in order to feel happy in love you've got to be honest with yourself, if not with anyone else. I've accepted it. While Adira will always hold a piece of my heart, it's nothing compared to the piece Razer holds. Together, the two of them are the most important people in my life."

"_Are the elders aware of your…development?"_

"Pfft, are you kidding? We're not even allowed to marry outside of our own clan! How do you think they'll feel if they found out I'm in love with a guy?" Archer said sarcastically. "Every day I have to keep the act going. Most of the time, I try so hard to make myself sound convincing that I tend to talk too much and people get annoyed at me. But what else can I do?" he whispered sadly. He was surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder.

"_In my study of the behaviors of my fellow crewmates, I have learned that this is a gesture of comfort correct?"_ Aya asked.

He nodded and gave her a wide smile. "You know something Aya, you're alright!"

"_You also are alright," _she replied.

It was then that the others arrived. Adira now carried five small bags, each filled with some sort of leaves, stems, or roots of various colors. Giving a nod of thanks to Mannan and a quick pat on the head to Rayhaan, she turned to leave as the two thanked her graciously (well, Rayhaan as graciously as a hyperactive thirteen year old could be). "Alright, this should be everything. We better start heading back to the house if we want to finish before the others get back. Plus, we still need to pay another visit to Rakshanda and Anas to pick up everything else and to drop off Sly, so we need to get a move on it!"

"_Very well. I thank you for your company Archer of Musa."_

"Hey, anytime!" he replied, returning back to his normally cheerful self. "And thanks for listening. I've needed to get that off my chest!" The AI nodded to him in response. He grinned. "HEY ADIR-,"

"Beat it dweeb!" Adira snapped before he could finish. "Let's go Aya." And with that, she tugged the robot outside along with her, where they stuck the herbs in the pouch that hung on Sly's back. Mounting him, they set off once more, this time in the direction of the familiar wooden hut. "By the way, exactly what were you and Archer talking about?"

"_We were discussing an important matter," _Aya cryptically informed her.

"I don't see how anything _he_ says could be that important!" Adira huffed.

Aya felt her eyebrows come together. _"Adira, your generosity to me is much appreciated however your cruelty is uncalled for. You must show Archer some kindness."_

She sniffed disdainfully. "I'll be less 'cruel' to him, once he becomes less annoying. Believe me, he's worse than you think he-,"

"_Incorrect. Archer has done nothing to deserve this treatment. You yourself said that you dislike the way the clan treats the half-bloods. Are you not exhibiting the same sort of behavior now towards him?"_ she asked blatantly.

To this, Adira opened her mouth as if she were going to speak but quickly shut it again. She remained silent for a little while, taking her words in before speaking again. "I never thought I'd hear _you_ speak like that."

"_I was merely being honest," _Aya stated.

_Love is honest, _she stored away.

* * *

Aya could help but continue to gaze at herself in the small mirror hung on the wall in their little hut. She had to admit, the dress Rakshanda had so skillfully made for her was quite magnificent indeed. Tracing the gentle fabric that flowed down her arms, it was not at all like the heavy everyday clothes she was used to seeing Razer wear. Instead, it was light and thin, and the AI navcom could hardly believe that the fabric was made from animal fur. When asked how such a feat was accomplished, the seamstress had stressed that the Mintos, another type of animal under their care, required having their coats trimmed every few months. This extra fur was then spun into a thin thread that when woven together, produced the delicate fabric she now wore. But it took time, effort, and a large amount of it to produce a single batch, hence why it was used only for special occasions, such as the festival. In her opinion, the garment was certainly suited for a celebration. The dress was a lovely shade of mahogany brown with green and blue trim all around the edges dotted with sparkling gems, just as they'd suggested. The sleeves were long and bell-shaped, and the neckline was high, save for the small hole at the chest where her GL symbol was displayed. Unlike the loose fitted work clothes they often wore, the dress hugged her body tightly around the chest, waist, and hips before flowing outwards towards the bottom. Atop her head, she wore a light green "unwed" headscarf lined with tiny sapphires that flashed in the light. Aya twirled, letting the bottom flow outward. She secretly wondered if Razer would enjoy her appearance.

After they'd collected all of their supplies, the girls had returned to the hut where Adira had set to work on the food, slicing up the meat and bringing some water to a boil. She had insisted that she could handle most of the cooking herself and would call her again if need be. The Volkregian was currently in the kitchen, crushing some of the herbs in a small stone bowl with a smooth stone. She didn't even look up as the AI walked past her and exited the hut.

In truth, Aya had begun to feel guilty about scolding the girl earlier. Perhaps she had been a bit harsh. Comparing her behavior towards Archer to the treatment of half-bloods might have been a tad excessive. But still, a part of her felt justified. Before she could continue on that train of data however, her sensors detected another familiar entity approaching.

"Good evening to you, my friend Aya," Zafeer greeted her with a formal bow.

"_As to you Zafeer," _she returned the gesture. While his face remained neutral, she noticed his eyes darting up and down her figure, taking in her appearance. _"Is my appearance acceptable?"_

He nodded. "Yes, it is aesthetically pleasing. Or, as some would say, it suits you."

She smiled. _"Is there a reason for your arrival? Something I can help you with?"_

"Actually, I came to deliver a message to Adira. Is she currently present?"

"_Yes, she is inside."_

He bowed to her again then entered the hut. He was not gone for long though for he exited only a few minutes after. His mouth tipped slightly at the edges, suggesting a frown. "Something is wrong. Her intrepid state of mind appears to have been fractured for she is not acting within normality."

Aya's eyes lowered. _"That may be due to a fault in my actions. Previously, I compared her behavior towards Archer to that of the treatment of half-bloods. I do not believe she accepted this news in a positive way."_

"That is understandable. One of her own siblings was a half-blood. Half Musa, half Mecha, he was treated not as a son, but as a servant within her family's household. When he was laid to rest, I believe his death left her feeling distraught, for the two of them were quite close."

"_I see," _Aya muttered.

"Yes. The mention of her lost loved ones normally leaves her in delicate state of mind. But fear not, it does not last long. I can assure you that she will return in about 3.18 hours so to speak," Zafeer said.

And there was that word again. _"Zafeer, may I ask you a query?"_

"Of course."

"_What would be your description of the emotion known as 'love'?"_

This seemed question seemed to surprise him, if his blank stare and blinking eyes were anything to go by. "For many species that exhibit intelligence, when one experiences love the brain consistently releases a certain set of chemicals, including pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which act in a manner similar to amphetamines, stimulating the brain's pleasure center and leading to side effects such as increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and an intense feeling of excitement. Of course, when it comes to special cases, this theory does not always apply."

"_This I am well aware of, however, I refer to not the biological side of love, but rather, the mentality. Tell me, from your own experience how would you interpret the concept of love."_

He tilted his head. "Love is not foremost on my mind, so my own descriptions may not be completely accurate. However, if you insist on an answer I am entitled to give you one. If I were to describe it, love is destructive, illogical, and unnecessary. It can cloud your judgment and cause one to perform actions that you would consider unacceptable under normal circumstances."

"_I do not understand. What experience would cause your understanding of love to become so negative?"_

"For instance, my relationship with my father. He cared little for my sister and me, but because of my desire for his love, I spent much of my time focused on pleasing him, valuable time that could have be spent on more efficient and productive activities," he replied without so much as a hint of hesitation. "I now realize what a fool I was then."

"_You were merely a child then, you could not be blamed for your actions."_

"Perhaps, but even now my belief still stands. For even to this day, love continues to be a source of disturbance in my mind, the entropy within my system."

"_Why?"_

He stopped for a moment, his eyes flickering to the side before facing forward again. "Earlier, I informed you that I learned to place my emotions on hold. However, every so often they will surface, for a living being can never shut down their emotions completely," he said. "Such is my case. I have felt…love for a certain individual for quite some time now," he admitted slowly. "She pulled me out of my darkest night, and gave me encouragement when I needed it most. However, this love could never come to fruition. Too many factors stand in the way. The first and foremost would be my betrothal to another woman. Once it is set in motion, it cannot be broken and I highly doubt the elders will relent to debate on it. The second would be that we are from different clans. It's been our tradition for decades and is hardly worth breaking now. But even then, that is not the worst of it."

And for the first time, Aya thought she saw a look of pure sadness lining his face along with something else. She had seen that look on Razer's face the day she'd rescued him from the asteroid prison. It was the look of defeat and resignation of one's fate.

"Had the gods been kind and delivered us within the same clan, even then I doubt it would have done any good. You see…" he paused to swallow, "she could never love me no matter how I may wish it. We are too different. It is a hopeless love, and yet no matter the illogicality of it, no matter how hard I attempt suppress it, my feelings for her remain. It is one of the few flaws I attempt to fix within my psyche with little success. Until then, the pain will continue to burden me."

"_Your love causes you pain? How can you be certain that it is the source of your physical distress?"_

"Aya, my friend, if you ever experience the pain of lost love, you will know," he whispered softly. "Now then, I wish I could stay, but there is some business I must attend to. If you'll excuse me," he bowed before he began walking away. But before he'd disappeared from view, he glanced back at her over his shoulder. "Godspeed," he said, and then continued on.

Aya could only stare in the distance, feeling more lost than ever.

_Love is destructive, _she hesitantly recorded.

* * *

**It's finally done! Omg, this chapter was so freakin' long! Since we are now learning the significance of the title of this fic, I wanted to show the different sides of love here. I hope I did them justice. Other sides will be touched upon in the future such as family and companionship, but that day is not today. So for now, enjoy (and review) this extremely long chapter that took me forever to write.**

**Names, names, names!**

**Mannan - bountiful, generous**

**Rayhaan (ray-haan) - sweet-smelling plant**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated, just no flames please!**


	16. Chapter 16

**************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 16**

"Alright, that should be the last of it!" Hal cheered as he loaded the final batch of Mahdi onto the Interceptor. "Good work team! Nice workout!"

"Workout? All you did was fly around and use your ring to carry everything!" Kilowog complained as he lifted a box of Mahdi off of his shoulder and onto the ground.

"Hey, I don't want to hear you complain, you were the one who chose to do it the hard way!" Hal argued.

"He has a point," Razer replied, as he too used his red construct to lift another batch into the ship.

Collecting the Mahdi had taken the boys much longer than it should have. Elder Sander had been fairly patient and accommodating with the group, a feat that he had to be given credit for. Once they'd all arrived at the mines, it was only then that they realized that none of them knew how much Mahdi they really needed. When they'd tried contacting Aya for the information, they found her unavailable. Thus, they'd had no choice but to return to the Interceptor first where they did a diagnostic scan and from that calculated how much Mahdi was needed. And even then, they could only produce a rough estimate. Without Aya's exact specifications, they were left with little choice. Only after they'd returned could they finally begin to collect what they needed. On top of that, the Mahdi had to be mined first and then transported back to the ship one batch at a time considering how heavy it was. Naaman had been kind enough to lend them an extra set of hands, but since he could not fly or carry as much as the rest of them, his travel time took exponentially longer. Not wanting to abandon his new friend, Kilowog had decided to go the old-fashioned way as well, walking on foot and carrying the Mahdi himself. Of course he suffered from the numerous taunts and snide remarks from his teammates as they flew past him, but he learned to ignore them.

The day was nearly over once they'd finally begun to make their way back to the village for the last time. The star that kept the planet lit had begun to disappear behind the mountains, casting an orange glow that filtered in-between the tree branches. Still, it was a pleasant journey back. The breeze was gentle and the air warm which lifted their spirits a little. But only a little.

"I'm keeping myself in shape unlike some of us!"

"Are you saying I'm not in shape?!

"Considering that you were the only one that lost yer fight against a _kid_, I'd say it couldn't hurt to try out some _real_ exercise for a change!"

"I get plenty of exercise, thank you very much! I _am_ a test pilot back on Earth!"

Kilowog laughed. "Says the guy who got his butt whooped by a squirrel!"

Naaman raised an eyebrow. "Please, what is a 'squirrel'?"

"Nothing, it's not important!" Hal waved him off.

"I suppose what they say is true. Humans and Bolovaxians do get grumpy when they're hungry," Razer sneered.

"HEY!" they both interjected. "Oh yeah, well, you're no Mister Sunshine yourself, even when you're not hungry!" Kilowog retorted.

This continued on until the group finally reached their hut, all looking for some food, rest, or both after a long and stressful day. But as they approached the little sanctuary however, they were surprised to see another woman starting up a fire as well as setting up supplies right outside of it.

Hal blinked. "Whoops, sorry we must have the wrong hut!" he apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "We'll be going now!" He turned to leave.

The woman looked up from her work. _"Welcome back Green Lanterns. Have you completed your task from this morning?"_

Hal froze mid-step and did a double take. His mouth dropped. "Aya?! What, when did…? New outfit?" he asked, glancing over her garbed figure.

She smiled. _"Yes. While collecting necessary ingredients for your meals, Adira also took me to see the seamstress, Rakhshanda. According to Volkregian tradition, this type of attire is worn for the God's Festival coming up in less than two days."_

"Hey hey, Volkreg looks good on ya!" Kilowog complemented her, giving the AI a light pat on the shoulder. "Right kid?"

"I-," Razer could only stare dumbly at her with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. Aya looked…there were no words to describe how she looked. He'd found her physical form attractive before, but now, dressed up in the traditional clothes of his people, she looked absolutely magnificent. The way the dress hugged her body in all the right places along with the veil that fell gently on her shoulders, for a moment he had to make sure he was still breathing. Another thought passed through his mind. She said the garb was for the God's Festival but he wondered if anyone had told her the _other_ special occasion that type of attire was worn for: weddings.

"_Razer?" _she looked at him curiously, and—dare he say—hopefully?

"You, uh, you look fine," he replied quickly with a straight face.

But before she could speak, Hal spoke up eagerly. "Something smells good!" he said.

"For once I agree with ya!" Kilowog said with his nose in the air.

"_I believe Adira is finished preparing your meals. She will be serving them shortly," _Aya informed the two hungry green lanterns.

Right on time, Adira stepped out of the hut carrying two trays loaded with various foods that left the green lanterns drooling. Setting them down near the fire, she allowed them to take their pick from the selection while the rest of them simply took a seat around the now blazing fire. After they'd grabbed their meals, the Volkregeans themselves decided to join, albeit only taking very small portions since they'd all eaten at most four days ago. They'd all remained fairly quiet at first as everyone either chewed or inhaled their food, but after a few minutes had gone by idle chatter began to spread amongst them. Kilowog and Naaman exchanged battle stories while Aya relayed the events of her day to Razer and Hal. Soon, Zafeer arrived, carrying Lulu with him, and joined the group as well. The little girl was delighted to see them all again and happily took a seat in Aya's lap. Surprisingly, it was Adira who remained fairly quiet though no one took note of it at the time.

"Kee-wo-wog!" Lulu smiled, teetering over to the Bolovaxian.

Kilowog chuckled. "Heh heh, come here you!" he said as he scooped her up into his arms. She laughed as he bounced her up and down on his knee.

Hal giggled behind his palm. "Looks like the big, tough, army sergeant isn't so tough after all!"

Kilowog shot him an annoyed look. "Shut it Poozer."

Lulu blinked for a moment. Raising a hand up, she pointed a chubby finger at Hal. "Poo-zer!" she cooed.

Hal's mouth dropped. "What?! No, no, no sweetie, it's _Hal!_ Get it? My name is _Hal!" _the human attempted to explain.

"Poo-zer!" Lulu said again, still pointing.

Hal slumped in his seat while Kilowog roared with laughter. "Now look what you did!" Hal pouted.

"Aw, look how smart you are!" Kilowog said through his laughter, ruffling her hair slightly.

"She does pick up information quite quickly for her age," Razer gave Hal a smirk.

Aya smiled, unconsciously scooting a little closer to him. _"If I were to acquire children of my own, it would be my desire to teach them everything I know! Perhaps I could download a copy of my program for their use!"_ She would have continued on, had she not noticed Razer clutching his head slightly. Her brows knit. He was still doing that strange motion. But why?

"Way-zer!" Lulu grinned. "Uppie!" she motioned to him, her hands reaching out to him.

Razer turned away. "No."

"No uppie?" she asked with those big doe eyes shining.

"Come on Red, how can you resist _that_ face?" Kilowog asked.

Razer growled under his breath. He couldn't, and that's the problem!

"Way-zer, Way-zer!" Lulu called out to him, both arms extended in his direction.

_Remain calm, do NOT look at her! _Razer willed himself to think, though he could feel the heat beginning to race to his face the more she did that. He let out a breath. _Focus on the calmness of the la-_

And then the toddler latched onto his leg, breaking his concentration and forcing him to look down at her in one motion. He was suddenly assaulted by the sight of her big teary eyes and bitten lip that trembled slightly. It was too much. His resolve shattered, and he found himself involuntarily lifting her up onto his lap. She squealed in delight and began to run a finger down one of the tattoos on his face. Razer was suddenly grateful that it was dark out except for the fire. It kept his blush mostly hidden. Lulu laughed as one of his gloved hands began to tickle her, and he could feel a light chuckle escape his own lips.

"Well whaddaya know? Who woulda thought the kid liked kids?!" Kilowog said in disbelief.

At that moment, Adira stood up, catching everyone's attention. "I think I'll retire early for the night. I hope you all enjoyed your meal," she said before pulling her hood over her head. She turned to leave.

Naaman frowned. "Adira, is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," she replied, not even turning back around. Without another word, the huntress silently walked off into the night.

"What's with her?" Hal asked. "She seems off."

Concerned, Aya got up as well, flying after the girl before any of the others could stop her or even ask where she was going. Naturally, it wasn't long until she'd caught up. Adira raised an eyebrow at her as the AI blocked her path.

"_Adira, I apologize for what I said earlier. It was not my intent to induce your anger. I beg your forgiveness," _she stated, bowing her head in an attempt to appear humble.

"What're you talking about? I'm not angry at you," Adira replied, crossing her arms.

Aya blinked in confusion. _"Then what is the reason for your change in behavior this evening?"_

"It's…it's nothing, just a message that Zafeer delivered to me has got me a little on edge, that's all. And sorry, I didn't mean to make you think I was angry at you. What you said stung a bit but it's nothing I can't handle."

"_Then we are still 'on good terms?'"_

"Yeah, we're cool," she assured her.

"_Excellent. There is something I must ask of you," _Aya said with some slight hesitation. Adira nodded at her to continue. _"Razer has been acting strangely ever since he returned from his encounter with Archer. He often appears as though something disturbs him but I cannot decipher what. Perhaps you could provide some insight of what could be the cause?" _Aya asked, purposely excluding the fact that he only acted this way around her.

"Hm," Adira hummed, tapping her lips in thought. "Well, he and I had a light 'chat' up on the mountain concerning his deceased wife, but from what I could tell he was just fine then. Although, now that you mention it, after he met with Arella the Soothsayer he came out looking scared out of his mind. When I called him out on it, he wouldn't tell me anything."

"_Interesting. If you do not mind, I would like to speak with her as well."_

Adira's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure about that? The things she shows you can leave some people feeling a little…unstable afterwards."

Aya nodded willfully. _"Yes, I must discover the cause of his behavior."_

Understanding that nothing she could say would change her mind, Adira relented. "Alright. Tomorrow while Rakhshanda keeps the boys distracted, I'll take you to see Arella. But I'm not promising you'll get anything out of her, agreed?"

"_Agreed."_

"Good. Anyway, I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning!" Adira said as she began to leave once again. But before she had wandered far, she looked back and said, "By the way, I wouldn't wear that dress for too long. You don't want to get it dirty before the festival!"

The AI smiled. _"Duly noted."_

When she'd returned to her crew, she found the rest of them stretching and beginning to nod off as well. Lulu had already fallen asleep on Razer's shoulder. He carefully handed her over to Zafeer, who gave a curt bow and departed himself. Hal stifled a yawn. "Ok team, we should probably get to bed. We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow repairing the ship."

"Agreed," Razer said, getting to his feet. But just as he was about to enter the hut, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Hal gave him a look. "What's the matter kid?"

Razer turned to look back at them. "Aren't you two retiring for the night?"

Hal and Kilowog grinned. "Of course we are! We just thought since you've been working so hard today, we'd let you get settled first!"

The red lantern's eyes narrowed. "What are you up to?"

"What? Can't a captain do something nice for his crewmate? We just want you to feel comfortable that's all!"

His narrowed eyes turned into a glare. "Forget it Jordan, I am NOT powering down just so you can look at my hair after I fall asleep!"

"Aw come on Razer! What're you bald or something?!" Hal asked. His glare deepened into a snarl. "Fine, fine, be that way! Come on Kilowog let's get some sleep." And with that, Kilowog bid Naaman a good night and the two green lanterns entered the hut. For their part, Razer and Aya remained outside for a few minutes longer. Only after he could hear Kilowog's familiar snores did Razer finally power down and crawl under the blanket on the one-person mattress. Pretty soon, he too drifted off to sleep, leaving Aya alone in the dark.

While she could enter sleep mode whenever she wanted to, this time the AI unit remained awake. She'd yet to have a moment to herself all day. With everyone now asleep and peaceful, she could sort through her newly acquired data uninterrupted. _Love is compromise; love is honest; love is destructive._ All definitions were used to describe a single emotion, yet all very different. From what she could tell, love was also accepted in different ways. Love could bring a being unending happiness but bring another unending torment. How could such an emotion be so complicated? She was one of the most advanced technologies ever to be built and yet something such as this left her completely lost. Not reaching a breakthrough in any of the audio data she'd collected, Aya attempted to run through the visual clips instead. She scanned the various movies and soap operas from Green Lantern Hal's planet. From what she could tell, love could be based not only on an emotional view, but a physical one as well. Some organics preferred a body over the feelings, another fact that puzzled her. Some relationships didn't last very long for various reasons. Overall, these clips only furthered her confusion on the matter. In an attempt to gain a more relevant insight, she began scanning through clips of her own experiences dealing with love. She sped through memory files of her time on Zamaron, the interactions between herself and her crew, and the kiss shared by Levana and Najee.

The latter caused her to pause. Rewinding, she replayed the clip again. And again. And again. This had to be the first time she'd actually watched a public display of affection that hadn't been prerecorded. Based off of her research, Aya had learned that there were various types of kisses. While some were used for friendly affection, like a kiss on the hand, others kissed in greeting, usually through a peck on the cheek. But the long term, direct mouth-to-mouth contact approach was a gesture shared only between lovers, a common rule practiced by nearly every loving species in the universe.

Sitting up, Aya was intrigued and driven with curiosity. How could such a simple motion convey such an important message? The act of kissing was merely the puckering of one's lips accompanied by light suction. Why did organics enjoy it so much? Aya suddenly found herself overcome with the desire to find out! Placing a hardlight finger on her own lips, Aya threw a glance at the figure next to her. Razer slept soundly, his head turned to the side, his mouth slightly open. Unable to resist temptation, the AI moved in closer, careful not to disturb him. Pretty soon, she was close enough to detect the warmth of his breath against her oral sensors and pick up the vibrations of the noise resembling a feline's purr that reverberated from his throat. She pressed her fingers against his cheek, applying very little pressure so as not to wake him. Closing her eyes and puckering her lips, Aya lowered her head and closed the final gap between them.

The first thing her sensors detected was a change in temperature. Razer's organic body retained more heat than her metal and construct shell, that much she had expected. What she hadn't expected was the moisture that accompanied it. His lips were slightly wet, making them soft to the touch. It made the experience more pleasant than she'd initially surmised. But what startled her most was the one thing she could not seem to sort out. The moment their lips touched, she'd felt a strange surge in her circuits that started from where contact was made, winding down through her chest all the way down to the tips of her metal feet. It was so unexpected, so new, that she'd nearly pulled back the moment it occurred. She resisted the urge to do so. However, before she could analyze any further she was suddenly aware of something else: movement. Fearful that she'd awoken him, Aya pulled away quickly, putting some distance between them. Thankfully, Razer only muttered something undecipherable before he turned over, his breathing evening out again.

"_Sigh," _she muttered, relief coursing through her. Placing her finger on her lips again, she could still detect a tingly sensation that remained, similar to a static shock. It was rather pleasant. If this was what it felt like alone, what would happen if the act was mutual, she wondered. In fact she was almost tempted to do it again once her sensors cooled down.

That is, until something else caught her eye. A stray lock of hair peeked out from under his head covering, falling across his forehead. Even in the poor lighting, the white color was obvious. A thought suddenly hit her. Had she been mistaken in her explanation to Adira? When she'd seen his hair for the first time, he'd just concluded his cleansing ritual so it had still been wet. Perhaps she'd only perceived it to be darker than it was? Cautiously, she tucked a finger underneath the cloth of his head cover and slowly pulled it back to reveal his full head of hair. The AI frowned. No, she had not been mistaken. The silver tint was evident in the straight white strands that gradually darkened the closer they drew towards his neck. In all honesty, Aya could not comprehend why they might punish him for it. His hair was rather pleasing in her opinion. _And rather soft,_ she concluded, running her hand through it.

And that's when he decided to awaken. In less than a second, his eyes opened and his body shot up, muscles tense. Grabbing hold of his head cover, he hastily pulled it over his hair before he turned to face her. He did not look pleased in the least! "Aya, what in Grotz's name are you doing?!" he asked in a harsh whisper.

"_I-," _she started but found herself unable to continue. What _had_ she been doing?

"Well?!"

"_I…I wished to see if Adira's statement was indeed correct, that all Musa have pure white hair. I was unable to get an accurate analysis the last time I saw it," _she explained.

He stopped, his eyes widening slightly as his breath grew heavy. "Aya, did you tell her anything about it?" he asked calmly, though his vital signs were growing abnormally high.

"_She did mention the existence of half-blooded offspring-,"_

"Aya, what did you tell her?" he asked again. She could hear his heartbeat increase in rhythm. While she did not wish to face his wrath, she was even more reluctant to lie to him. It just wasn't in her programing.

"_I did mention the difference in your hair color."_

"You WHAT?!" he cried, his vital signs skyrocketing.

"_Adira assured me she would not inform another being of-,"_

"Aya, _ANYONE _can promise they will not tell! That does not assure you of anything!" he continued, throwing his face into his hands as his fingers painfully dug into his skull. "Rrrrr, AYA what have you done?!"

Aya curled into herself, shame beginning to overtake her. This was not the reaction she had expected. She'd thought her admission would incite his anger yet his body language suggested otherwise. At the moment he resembled a helpless animal about to be attacked by a predator. He looked…scared.

"_Razer, I sincerely apologize-,"_

"_Oh,_ you apologize, that makes _everything_ okay!" he interrupted with a sarcastic quip. He face was still in his hands.

"_Razer, you must calm down!" _she attempted to comfort him, placing her hands on his shoulders. _"Your panic will not solve the situation. You should rest lest you let your stress cloud your thinking process."_

"You do not understand! My father _killed_ a man when I was nine years old to protect my secret! That is how dangerous this is," he conveyed to her. "I will rest when I am dead!"

"_No!"_

He froze when he felt her arms encircle him. When he looked at her, he was shocked to see the beginning of tears forming in her eyes before she buried her face into his chest. _"I will not allow them to kill you. That is unacceptable."_

Razer's eyes softened. Hearing her admission was enough to calm him slightly. From what he could tell, she was genuinely sorry and maybe even a little afraid for him. Without another word, he pulled away and lay back down onto his mattress. He would not meet her gaze.

"_Razer-,"_

"Enough now. We have much to discuss, but not tonight. Let's just get some sleep," he said slowly, willing himself to relax.

Aya did the same on the floor, though she kept her distance this time. As he turned away from her, she could sense his vital signs returning to normal which was a good sign at least. But he would not face her, leaving her to toil in her shame once again. It had been her intent to get closer to him, and yet she'd only managed to push him away even more. But could she blame him? His father had spilled blood to protect him after all.

_Love is protective, _she thought before she reluctantly forced herself into sleep mode at long last.

* * *

**OMG, my story views, IT'S OVER 9000! I have been waiting to say that ever since I realized just how many people are reading! Thank you all for sticking with me and supporting this story!  
**

**Special thanks to Star Saber21 for your great ideas (for this chapter it was the Lulu part!) and Sueanoi for the comic! Check out their stories when you get the chance! **

**If you like my story, check out the comic Sueanoi drew for chapter 9, as well as the rest of her work! Here's the link to the first page!**

**sueanoi {dot} tumblr {dot} com/post/47115142427/what-is-love-chapter-9-page-1 -first-page-of-my**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated just no flames!**


	17. Chapter 17

**********This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 17**

"_Um, Father?"_

_The man paused for a moment, rising up from the crouching position he'd been in as he'd put the finishing touches on a cooling unit he'd been working on. Placing his wrench back in his tool belt and pushing his goggles up onto his forehead, the man turned his gaze toward the young face that watched him with hopeful eyes._

"_Yes, what is it my son?" he asked with a stern, yet gentle voice._

_The eight-year-old shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Uh, well, today one of the elders said that the r-river water has been higher than ever in the past few years. Tajz and some of the others said they were going to go swimming in the shallow end, so I, uh, was wondering if I could, um…" he stopped. There was no need to continue for he knew his father was aware of what he wanted. However, he only replaced his goggles and withdrew a metal burner from the stand next to him, his attention returning to the machine in front of him._

"_Out of the question. I thought we went over this before," he replied as drops of heated metal dripped onto the surface he worked on._

"_B-but Father-,"he protested._

"_I don't want to hear it. You're not going, and that's final."_

"_Why not?!" he asked fiercely. "Why can't I play with the other kids? And why do I have to be homeschooled?"_

"_Son, I do not wish to debate this with-,"_

"_Why won't you let me do _anything_ fun?!" he stomped his foot._

"_BECAUSE IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!" his father yelled, throwing down the tool._

_The boy recoiled in fear. His father almost never got angry, but when he did, it was like waking a sleeping Grizzvolpe. He stood there panting for a moment, his nostrils flaring, and his teeth gritted. But after a moment, he began to settle down and let out a breath. "I am…sorry my son, I did not mean to frighten you. But trust me when I say that I'm only doing this to protect you," he said calmly, placing the tool back on the stand._

_His innocent eyes widened in confusion. "From what?"_

_He sighed. Taking the boy into his arms, he pulled him close to his chest before lifting a hand to his son's head. Carefully, he pulled back the head covering he wore, revealing his straight, silver-white hair. "From what you are…"he muttered_

"_I do not understand."_

_He felt his father's arm tighten its grip on him as he ran a hand through his hair. "Razer, it's time you knew the truth of your existence…"_

_Although he'd learned exactly who…or rather what he was that day, he hadn't really understood the seriousness of the situation until a few months later. Staring at his father's cold eyes as he gripped the bloodstained sword while standing over the corpse of what had once been a man, the young Volkregian's life was never the same again._

* * *

Razer awoke with a start, sweat dripping down his face. He panted heavily into the night, raising a hand to his head on reflex. Relieved to feel that his head covering was still on, the red lantern's tense muscles began to loosen albeit slowly. It had been a while since he'd had a dream like that. It was strange. Although dreams like those left him in a cold sweat, it was the only time he could ever see his father again, and there was no way he'd get back to sleep now. With no other options left, Razer stood up, careful not to disturb Aya, and exited the hut. Standing outside alone, he rubbed his face with his hand. This bout of insomnia was starting to become an issue. He supposed suddenly being surrounded by his people was bringing old scars back to light. Scars that he would have preferred to remain hidden a while longer. He let out a sigh. He needed to hurry up and get off this planet soon. It had only been two days and he was already starting to lose his mind.

After one more minute of silent solitude, Razer was about to reenter the hut when he noticed some movement in the corner of his eye. About-facing, the red lantern peered into the darkness, relying on the moons for light, and caught sight of a person walking slowly through the village. His brow came together. _Odd, who in Grotz's name would be up at this hour? _he thought. Well, except maybe for himself. Back on Volkreg, wandering around alone at night would be considered suicide. Of course, things were different now and the thought didn't escape him that perhaps it was just someone out for a light walk. And yet, the way they glanced about nervously, their head turning quickly in each direction warned him otherwise.

Having nothing better to do fueling his curiosity, Razer activated his armor and silently floated along after them, hiding in the trees and using various structures for cover. Peeking behind one of the other huts, the person was now within his direct line of sight. Wearing a cloak to conceal themselves, the person had their back to him, facing the mountain. They lingered there for a moment before continuing onward, eyes front. Razer flew after them, careful to stay hidden while keeping up. With soft footsteps, the mysterious figure headed towards the mountain, making their way past the tunnels of the mines before finally approaching a tunnel offset from the others. Perched behind a large boulder, the red lantern's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Unlike the tunnels used for shelter, or the ones dug for mining, this one was smaller in comparison. It was jagged and unsupported, which was strange considering the Minara miners usually took great care to add support to tunnels to keep them from collapsing. However, the figure made their way towards it without any hesitation as though they'd been there multiple times. But just before they entered, the person took one more backward glance over their shoulder. A pale, familiar face peered out from under the hood, catching the moonlight.

Razer's eyes widened. _Adira?! _He stifled a gasp._ She said she'd gone to bed hours ago! Prime hunting time does not begin until the moons reach the Eastern skies. _

Without a word, the huntress entered the tunnel and disappeared into the dark. From his perch, the red lantern hesitated, unsure of his next choice of action. He'd initially followed her because he'd been afraid that she might have been a threat to the villagers, a potential burglar perhaps. But now that he'd identified her, it was obvious that wasn't the case. But instead of feeling relief, Razer felt his curiosity rise even more. What was she up to exactly? Floating down to the mouth of the tunnel, he paused there for a moment. No light emanated from it, keeping the path hidden, the dark waiting to swallow its next victim. He felt his conscious flare up. _It's none of your concern. Just leave her be! _And yet, just as he was about to leave, he caught sight of a message carved into the side of the wall. Raising his ring hand, red light shined onto crude letters, revealing the message.

VOLKREGIAN PRISON

A prison?! Ok, now he _had_ to know what she was up to! Clenching his fingers into a fist, Razer forced his conscious to the back of his mind and entered the dark tunnel. As he walked on, he kept his senses on high alert. In this narrow tunnel, there was nowhere to hide. He knew if she turned around, he'd be caught for sure. And yet he continued on. The moonlight disappeared the further he walked, leaving him drowning in a sea of black ink, so dark he couldn't even see his hand right in front of his face. Lifting up his left palm, he caught the side of the wall, trailing his hand along to stay on track. But that did nothing to keep him from stumbling on the uneven ground. He gritted his teeth as his toe hit yet another large stone in his path. He'd tried flying but only managed to bump his head on a rock jutting out of the ceiling. Razer growled. This was ridiculous. Surely, Adira was way ahead of him by now, so it couldn't hurt…

With nothing to convince him otherwise, Razer lifted his ring hand again and let the red light pour into the tunnel, lighting the path ahead…as well as the figure standing no more than 10 centimeters away from his face.

"Boo!"

"AGH!" he gasped, shooting a beam of red energy on impulse. She barely managed to dodge the blast, letting it hit the side of the tunnel, dirt and rocks tumbling from the wall.

"Watch it quick-draw, why not wake the entire village while you're at it!" Adira cursed at him.

"How did you-?"

"First of all, I'm a hunter Razer, I'm trained to hear incredibly soft noises. I knew you were there the minute I passed your hut. Second of all, you're wearing red. If you want to sneak up on someone, try wearing a color that doesn't stand out so much." Adira crossed her arms over her chest. "Third of all, why are you following me?"

"Why are _you_ sneaking into prison at this time of night?!" Razer retorted, hoping to take the attention off himself.

"I was doing this new thing called 'minding my own business!' You should try it sometime!" she replied heatedly. "While we're here, you want to check out the accommodations? Because this is probably where they'll put you and your friends when they find out you've been sneaking out alone at night."

Razer let out an exasperated huff, a pouty scowl plastered on his face. She had him cornered and knew it. Giving him a smug look, she beckoned to the exit. "After you!" she said in a sing-song voice that had his teeth grating. With another annoyed look, Razer turned around and exited the tunnel, Adira following behind him. Once back outside, he continued to march angrily back in the direction of the hut while she continued to walk alongside him. "How about we pretend you didn't see anything? I won't breathe a word about you being out and awake and you won't say anything about seeing me at the prison."

His eyes shifted in her direction. "If your secret is really that controversial, I doubt anyone will mind if I was awake and out at night to see it."

Her eyes narrowed. "I never said it was controversial."

A smirk tugged at his lips. "You did not have to. From what I have deduced about you, you're not afraid to speak your mind, no matter who you insult. If your secret was not 'controversial', you would not take such measures to hide it, like sneaking out at this hour or tricking me into staying quiet." The way her eyes widened in disbelief, followed by a growl that escaped her throat was a stroke to his ego. He'd finally got her!

"Listen, you better not say a word, or else!" she hissed threateningly through her teeth.

"Or else what?" he asked, unafraid.

"Or else I let people in on _your_ little secret," Adira said, giving him a knowing look. "I'm sure everyone would love to see what's under there!" She poked a finger at his helmet.

His hands instinctively covered his head. "You _wouldn't!_"

"An eye for an eye," she replied.

Razer felt the red light beginning to spark inside his ring. "I _despise_ you right now."

"Then my job is done." With that, she turned and continued walking, not bothering to check if he was coming. At that moment, to say he was tempted to shoot her in the back would be an understatement. But he knew it would do him little good and he instead stomped behind her, fuming all the way. It was juvenile, yes, but it helped him vent without causing too much damage. Right now, he felt like breaking down a building. Just when he thought he'd gotten the upper hand, she'd pulled the rug out from under him in the most despicable way possible. Now he was left to steam as she waved his darkest secret in front of his face, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Eventually, she slowed her pace so that she was next to him again. "So," she started, "you're too short for a Hutar. Your skin is too dark for the Minara, and your hands are normal sized, which rules out the Jackum. The green Botane eyes are usually dominant, and seeing as yours are blue, that leaves only the Mecha clan. Am I right?"

"We are _not_ discussing this!" he snapped angrily.

"I'll take that as a yes. And you certainly know your way around machines since you were able to repair my arm and all."

"Keep talking and I will snap it right off your shoulder," Razer threatened.

"I'd like to see you try!" Adira chuckled lightly until she let out a light sigh, surprising him. "You know, you remind me a lot of my older brother, Raziel. Sarcastic, hot-headed, blunt," she rambled a little bit, "and a half-blood too."

That caught him off guard. "You mean the one that was killed?" he asked sardonically.

"Yeah. But he lived to be about 22 before he died," she muttered as her facial features began to dampen. She turned away from him, eyes turned towards the mountain just liked before. "I loved teasing him just because it was so easy to upset him. But we'd always laugh it off afterwards. He's the one that told me to never stop fighting for what I wanted. And for that I'm thankful."

Razer raised an eyebrow at her. Is this why she was always poking fun at him, even though she knew it would only inquire his anger? She shook her head. "Grotz, why am I even telling you this?"

He knew she meant for it to be a rhetorical question, but he couldn't keep himself from answering. "Maybe because you've been keeping it to yourself for too long. Do you wish to talk about it?"

She shrugged. "Sure, why not? But this isn't exactly the best place to chat."

"Then where do you suggest?"

* * *

Not more than a few minutes later, the two Volkregians stood atop the mountain ledge, the same place where they'd "settled their differences" once before. Adira's legs dangled off the steep ledge but she didn't seem to mind, and Razer took a seat next to her soon after. At first, neither of them spoke, instead taking the time to admire the view of the sleeping village below. Finally though, it was Adira who spoke up first. "Just curious, but which one of your parents was…real?"

"My father," he answered, his eyes turned towards the ground. "He was the one who told me about my lineage. My mother—that is, my stepmother—she found out she couldn't have children early on, so that's why she decided to raise me as her own."

"That sure was nice of her. She could have easily done you in."

"Yes. Her name was Renana. I was rather fond of her, to be honest. She used to sing for me at night, and she was kind, gentle, and very patient with me, even when I used to throw temper tantrums, which was…often," he grudgingly admitted.

"That I can see," Adira snickered, "and she sounds like a really sweet woman considering she was not your real mom. She's definitely better than my dad. He couldn't _stand_ my half-blood brother."

"If he disliked him, then why did your father keep him alive for so long? Why did he not just kill him at birth like most did?" Razer asked, remembering the gruesome stories he'd been told of half-bloods who hadn't been so lucky.

Her shoulders slumped. "My brother was half Musa, half Mecha, like you. Our mom fell in love with some guy early on before she was married off to my dad. Turns out, the guy was the son of the current head of the Mecha clan, making my brother his grandson. When my dad found out, he decided to keep my brother alive for potential blackmail. But as a result, he treated Raziel like a servant in our household." She sighed. "Considering the life he lived, maybe it would have been better if he had simply killed him. But I'm glad he didn't. Raziel was my only friend for the longest time. He was always the one to comfort me whenever I was sad or scared."

"I see…"

She suddenly sat up then. "By the way, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." He nodded, signaling her to continue. "Speaking of scared, what did Arella show you that shook you up so badly?"

He tensed. "I'd rather not say."

"What, did you see your own death or something?"

"That's…part of it."

"Ah," she replied, nodding her head. "Scary isn't it, having this foreboding feeling right over your head, and knowing that one wrong move could lead you down the path to destruction from which you have no idea how to avoid."

Razer looked at her. Her shoulders were still slumped, she hung her head, and her eyes appeared to be clouded with emotion. And that sound of dread in her voice…"Adira, did you see your own death as well?"

"No," she replied. Her next words however, were so soft he might not have heard her if she hadn't been sitting right next to him. "But Zafeer did. He came and told me about it just this evening. Apparently, I'm meant to fall to my death, right off this very mountain. Then he watches as they retrieve my mangled lifeless body from the very bottom."

Razer gritted his teeth in disgust. "Zafeer told you all of this?!"

"Yep, he said I had the right to know."

"Is that why you were so quiet during dinner?"

"Uh-huh. His says I didn't look very old either. Judging from the position of the day stars and visible constellations he identified in the vision…let's just say I'm going to die very soon." She pulled her legs to her chest, curling up into a ball.

"Are you alright?" he asked, beginning to feel slightly alarmed.

She shook her head. "Razer…I'm scared."

The red lantern felt his breath hitch in his throat. All the times he'd seen her, Adira had always seemed so confident in her abilities, and so fearless. And yet now, huddled into herself with her face pressed into her knees, she looked so vulnerable and pitiful. She was showing weakness.

"Hey Razer?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something selfish?"

"What is it?"

"Well, I, uh," she bit her lip nervously, "whenever I was scared, Raziel would always hold me close until I felt secure again. Could you…pretend to be my brother for just a minute?" she asked with eyes wide and watery.

Without even realizing it, Razer slowly nodded in consent. Although a tad hesitant at first, Adira gradually scooted closer until their sides were touching. She gently laid her head on his shoulder, as he in turn wrapped an arm around her, pulling her even closer. Closing her eyes, she let out a content sigh. "Thank you," she muttered softly, "and don't worry, I promise I won't tell anyone your secret."

And so they stayed that way for a little while, neither speaking for the silence was enough. They stayed long enough to witness the star rise over the horizon, signaling the start of a new day. Watching the light wash over the land, Razer couldn't help but roll over the past conversation in his head. He supposed in a way the two of them weren't so different after all. Beneath their tough exteriors, both of them were still mourning for the ones lost long ago, the ones they could never be with again. It was that understanding that allowed them to find solace in one another. And for some reason that he couldn't explain, that idea made him feel at peace. So he didn't object when he noticed she'd dozed off with her head still on his shoulder and his arm still encircling her.

Had he not been so caught up with his own musings, Razer would have noticed a familiar green and white figure watching from above before retreating in the opposite direction.

* * *

**Chapter 17! Sorry for the late update, I was working on my one-shot last weekend and didn't have time to work on this chapter. BTW if you haven't read it, check out my Razaya one-shot, I worked hard on it! Anyway, to the chapter at hand. Just want to make something clear because I know someone will argue against it: Razer and Adira are not, I repeat, are NOT in love with each other, nor will they fall in love with each other! Of course, that doesn't mean that the some of the other characters won't think otherwise! Keep reading to find out!**

**More names:**

**Raziel (rah-zee-ehl) – my secret**

**Renana (reh-nan-ah) – joy, song**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated!**


	18. Chapter 18

*****IMPORTANT MESSAGE!*****

**I apologize for the late update but I hope this chapter is enough to satisfy you. HOWEVER, in about a week I will be studying abroad overseas, so my updates will most likely be sporadic at best. For all my readers, thank you for sticking with me and I hope that you'll continue following my story even if it is not updated as often as I'd like it to be. And even greater thanks to all of you who give me feedback! Good or bad, that is the greatest thing a writer can receive from their viewers! You have no idea how much it means to me! I will try my best to update maybe once every two weeks, but while I usually spent the weekend working on the chapters, I will probably be traveling around, so I can't promise anything. But for now, enjoy this new chapter!  
**

**Also, are you interested in what some of the characters look like? Well, I have started up an account on deviantart under the name FFicWriterXx and I've uploaded some sketches so far of Adira, Zafeer, Naaman, and Lulu. For those of you who have an account on ****deviantart**, a comment would be appreciated! If not, please leave a review here on fanfiction dot net and let me know what you think! And take a look at my new GLTAS one-shots collection under my profile page! It will grow over time!  


**************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 18**

Back at the Lantern Shade hut (Hal chose the name), the two remaining green lanterns had just woken up and began to stretch their muscles. Kilowog yawned loudly, cracking his back into place while Hal did some early morning arm stretches. At least this morning they wouldn't have to go without food, having grabbed a few batches of grub from the Interceptor before returning to the hut. They ate a few bites then exited, reveling in the heat of the starlight that shined down on their faces.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Kilowog asked curiously.

Hal popped his neck. "Today, we need to start repairs on the Interceptor. If we're ever gonna get off this planet, we need start pronto!"

"I dunno Jordan, I kinda like it here. Nice weather, good food, and the folks aren't so bad either. Never thought I'd be sayin' this, but Red's people almost remind me of my own," Kilowog confessed.

"Yeah, it is pretty nice here, but as Razer likes to keep pointing out, we still have the Manhunters to deal with. And the Anti-Monitor. But still, I'd be lying if I said I'm not enjoying this little 'vacation.'"

Kilowog nodded. "Speaking of which, where is the kid? I didn't see him this morning. Heck, Aya was gone too!"

Hal froze. "Wait, you're saying they were both gone?!"

Kilowog raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that's what I just said!"

"Both of them? Togther? Not one without the other?"

"Hey I am not stupid Jordan! I know what I did and did not see, and this morning I did not see either one of them. And what the Knartz are you trying to get at?!" the sergeant demanded.

Hal pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kilowog, when a young man and woman are gone at the same time—at night—what is the thing they are most likely planning to do?"

Kilowog blinked. "I dunno, take a late night stroll?"

"NO! The _other_ thing!"

"Jordan, will you just say what you're trying to say!"

Hal tilted his head up and began to whisper in Kilowog's ear. As he went on, the sergeant's eyes gradually grew wider and wider and wider still! When he was finished, Kilowog let out a loud _"WHAT?!_

Jordan, I think you're forgetting who yer talking about! Maybe they got up early and left with one of the bodyguards or somethin'."

"I sure hope so! Otherwise, those two are getting a _serious_ talking to!" Hal fumed.

"Uh, ya do remember the kid had a wife right? I think he knows the drill Jordan."

"And that's exactly why they need a talking to!"

Just then, the two green lanterns found themselves not alone when Zafeer and Naaman arrived, both greeting them a good morning. Hal immediately made his way over to them. "Naaman, you haven't happened to see Aya and Razer this morning, have you?"

Naaman frowned. "No, I haven't seen them since last night."

"What about you Zaf?"

"Negative."

Hal clenched his head. "Urgh! I knew it, I knew it!" he stressed. Removing his hands, he exhaled. "Alright, relax Jordan," he whispered to himself.

"Actually, we were meaning to ask if one of you had happened to catch sight of Adira," Naaman said. "She wasn't at the usual rendezvous point and we thought she headed over here a bit early."

Kilowog shrugged. "Nope, haven't seen her!"

"Hm, odd." Naaman scratched under his chin in thought. "It seems there are three missing youths out and about somewhere."

"Oh great," Hal muttered. "Please don't let this be some crazy alien threesome."

Zafeer gave a curious head-tilt. "Please define 'threesome.'"

"Nevermind!" Hal waved him off. "Let's just try and find them while I'm still calm!"

However, before the others could even respond to his comment, a light fizzing sound caught their attention. From out of the sky, Aya zoomed towards them with great accuracy and speed, stopping gracefully in front of the group. Hal couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief seeing her alone. But once she'd landed, her facial expression was anything but graceful. Her brows were knit, her mouth was frowning, and her teeth were clenched together.

"Aya, where have you been?" Hal asked, approaching the android. "You shouldn't just take off like that without telling anyone! We might-,"

"_Green Lanterns,"_ she interrupted, _"is it a romantic gesture for R—that is, an organic male, to enclose his arm around an organic female while she lays her head upon his shoulder blade?"_

"Wait, what now?!" Kilowog asked, confused.

"_Is my wording off? When an organic male places his arm around an organic female while she lays her head upon his shoulder blade, could it be classified as an expression of love?"_ Aya repeated without skipping a beat.

Hal shook his head. "Aya, where in the world is this coming from?"

"_I do not wish to impose, but I must insist on a response to my query!"_

The two lanterns just stood there for a moment in shock. They'd never expected this sort of question from the AI in a million years. It left them feeling a little disorientated. It was Hal who snapped himself out of his stupor first. "Well, when you say it that way, I suppose it _could_ be considered a 'romantic gesture' for a guy to hug a girl. Heck, Carol and I did it all the time back on Earth—when nobody was watching, that is."

"_When would you execute such an action?"_

"Uh, whenever we're alone I guess?" he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"_Or when you are admiring a view of a vast expanse of space?"_

Hal blinked. "Uh, yeah sure. We'd sometimes do that whenever we're looking out the window of my apartment."

To this, Aya's eyebrows drew even closer, furrowing together with her gaze directed towards the ground. _"I should have known he would choose an organic. It is only natural…"_ she muttered softly.

"What's that?" Hal asked.

"Zafeeeeeeeerrrrrr!" a high pitched voice rang out, startling them all. Kilowog nearly jumped out of his skin. Bounding out of nowhere, a young woman came running up to them, her dark, wavy grey hair flying out behind her in a tight braid and her Mecha markings standing out from her pale skin. She wore a vibrant smile, yet her eyes were sharp and strong implying a hidden strength within her.

The girl was attractive, that was for sure, Hal admitted to himself.

"Zafeer, I didn't expect to see you!" the new girl said happily.

Zafeer tilted his head. "Yes, and you are?"

Her smile disappeared and in an instant her sunny disposition faded into one of upset. "It's me, remember?"

He blinked blankly.

"Delilah?" she hinted.

Another blink.

Her hands balled into the fists and her teeth grounded angrily together. "Your _fiancé?!_"

"Ah yes, of course. Your designation is now recognized," Zafeer responded, realization evident in his voice.

Hal and Kilowog exchanged looks while Naaman face-palmed himself. "Very…smooth Zafeer," he said behind his hand.

The girl, Delilah, pouted. "Honestly Zafeer, I know we've only seen each other a few times but could you at least remember my name?"

"Forgive me," he bowed humbly, "but I have 23.2 important subjects of interest currently on my mind and amongst them all, you are of little priority in comparison."

"Well, I'm _soooo_ happy to hear that I mean so little to you!" Delilah sarcastically replied.

"What he meant to say is that he's been very busy lately," Naaman explained. "But he is trying to find time to spend with you, to get to know you better before you two are married."

"And why couldn't he tell me this himself?" she asked skeptically.

"He's still working on the whole socializing thing," Naaman whispered to her out of the corner of his mouth.

Delilah's eyes softened as she turned to look back at the shy youth. "Zafeer, if you really want to socialize, you need to take small steps to change things up a bit. For one thing," she stood on her toes right in front of his face, "why don't you try moving your bangs out of your eyes?"

But just before her hand could even brush his face, his hand grabbed hold of her wrist, halting it in place. "If you could refrain from touching me, it would be a much more pleasant experience for us both."

Offended, Delilah tore her hand out of his grasp as though she'd been burned. Narrowing her eyes, she turned her back to him before she began walking away. Zafeer only watched. "This has been a momentary, yet productive experience Delia; I hope to replicate it perhaps another time?"

"It's _Delilah!_" she yelled over her shoulder, then stomped off, both of her hands raised into the air. "Ugh, why not marry me off to a _robot_ while you're at it!" she cursed to the heavens just as she disappeared into the village.

Zafeer blinked again. "I believe she is angry."

"Geez Zaf, what gave you that idea?" Hal muttered condescendingly.

"Did I misspeak?"

"Only a little," Naaman shook his head then sighed.

Just then, a shadow hovered above them for a moment, gradually shrinking as the figure above the ground slowly began to descend. Shading their eyes, the group was surprised to see Razer lowering himself to the ground, Adira collected in his arms with her own arm around his neck for security. After he'd landed he carefully let her down onto her feet. She grinned. "You were right Razer; flying is a lot more efficient than walking! That's a pretty handy skill to have!"

"Ah there you are!" Naaman called out to them, relief laced through his words. "I see you have returned to normal this morning Adira."

"Yep, just needed to sleep it off, no biggie!" she assured him.

"And just where have you two been?" Hal asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Razer and Adira gave each other a look. "Oh, you know, just out for an early morning stroll," Adira answered. This caused Kilowog to give Hal an 'I told you so,' look in response, though Hal still didn't look convinced. "So, what's everyone been up to while we've been gone?"

"Well, we had a run-in with Zafeer's fiancé Delilah," Naaman answered.

"Oh yeah, I remember her! Really nice girl! How'd it go?"

"Uh, not so good," Naaman said, peering over his shoulder at Zafeer. "Let's just say our teammate here still needs to work on his socializing skills."

Adira frowned before approaching Zafeer. "Hm, that's too bad. Delilah doesn't anger real easily. What exactly did you say to her?"

Zafeer, who had stayed quiet during the whole exchange between his two partners, remained frozen for a moment before finally speaking. "He…was…carrying you," he said slowly.

Adira raised an eyebrow. "Who, Razer? Yeah, so?" she asked.

"Forgive me, but I was under the impression that you disliked physical contact outside of combat."

Adira gave him a little smirk. "Aw, is someone jealous?" she asked playfully, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

"I-," he started, and then shut his mouth quickly. Aya's eyes widened a small fraction as she took notice of the change in his tone of voice.

She chuckled. "Don't worry Zafeer, you're one of my closest friends, and you always will be!" Adira gave his shoulder a small squeeze.

"Of…course." This time, the tone was gone Aya noted replaced with his usual neutral voice.

"But seriously, you need to learn how to properly talk to people before you get married. For starters," she lifted a hand, "you could try clearing the hair out of your face!" Sticking a finger under his head covering, Adira tucked the stray hair underneath it, leaving nothing but his flustered face behind. "See? Much better!"

The Mecha hunter's eyes darted back and forth. "Uh, I-,"

"Another thing!" Adira reached out with both hands this time, placing them on his cheeks and holding his face level to hers. "Eye contact really makes a difference!"

At this point, he'd reached the end of his rope. Zafeer pulled away and turned his back to her, much to the confusion of the rest of them. Hal, Kilowog, and Naaman had their brows furrowed together while Razer crossed his arms and wore a deadpanned look. Aya blinked slightly, secretly researching the cause of his reaction, having been the only one to catch the light coloring on his cheeks just before he'd turned away.

"Perhaps this discussion should be postponed to another time. The green lanterns wish to progress on the reparation of their ship, and we must not delay them," Zafeer stated before he started walking in the direction of the space craft in question.

Giving Aya a knowing look over her shoulder, Adira nodded to her. "Actually, Aya and I have something planned today!" she said loudly.

Aya glanced up, a bit taken aback. She did not recall having planned anything. That is, until Adira spoke up again. "Naaman, do you think you could take the boys to visit Rakshanda? She really wanted to see them."

Naaman shrugged. "I suppose, if that's an order I can't really refuse can I?"

"It is! And while you're doing that, us girls have something important we need to take care of!" Without warning, Adira grabbed hold of Aya's arm, pulling the android towards her then marched off in another direction.

"Hey wait! We need Aya to help us with the ship!" Hal objected.

"Don't worry, we'll be done before you know it!" Adira cried, then took off before they could protest any further.

* * *

As the girls continued onwards into the village, Aya glanced over at the Volkregian huntress out of the corner of her eye. In all honesty, she had not wanted to go along with her this time around, not while the memory from this morning continued to play on an endless loop in her databanks. She had hoped to speak to Razer privately the moment he'd returned, but had not anticipated this new change of events. And now, she was left to deal with the very problem in question. She couldn't help but wonder if her sensors were somehow misfiring. Prior to this morning, the huntress had never really bothered her, in fact, she could almost say that she'd begun to grow fond of her company. But now, just the sight of her left the AI with a strange sensation in her circuitry, one that she had never experienced before. She found herself secretly wishing misfortune to fall upon the girl, and that thought alone left her feeling frightened. The AI had never wished that upon anyone ever, not even when Atrocitus had left her critically damaged. So what was going on now? And why her?

"Aya?"

Her vision refocused. _"Yes?"_

"Are you ready?"

Aya blinked. _"I do not understand the relevance of your question. Where are you relocating me to, and for what should I have begun preparations for?" _

Adira frowned. "Last night you said you wanted to visit Arella the Soothsayer remember? I was just wondering if you were ready to see her because she can be a little intimidating sometimes."

Aya nodded, the memory now returning to her, temporarily replacing the memory of this morning as foremost in her thoughts. _"Correct. My apologies, I had difficulty recalling the event."_

"Oh? That's odd, you seem to always be on top of things. Why, is something bothering you?"

"_I believe the correct term would be 'someone,'" _Aya replied offhandedly.

"What? Who?"

Aya shook her head. _"It is irrelevant," _she responded. Unbeknownst to Adira, Aya noted to place extra parameters in place to better control her vocal emitters. Hoping to change the subject, she asked, _"What activities were you and Razer partaking in early this morning?"_

"What activities? Well nothing really, we were just chatting."

"_About what topics specifically?"_

"Sorry, I can't really go there. It's private," Adira said.

That left the AI a little frustrated. How was she supposed to gather data if the Volkregian was unwilling to offer it? _"Private in what way?"_

"Just…some personal stuff."

"_How was it personal?"_

"Aya, can you please just drop it?!" Adira snapped, her eyes alight in irritation. But after a moment it died down. "Sorry, but I'd rather not talk about it."

"_Adira of Musa, do you like Razer?"_

Her eyes shot up. "Huh?!"

"_Do you like Razer?"_ Why everyone insisted on her repeating herself today left her puzzled.

"Do I like him? Uh, sure, yeah, he's cool I guess?"

When asking her next question, Aya couldn't hide the slight shake in her voice box as she spoke it aloud. _"Would you consider him a potential mate or life partner to be selected from your clan?"_

Adira put her hands up. "Whoa whoa, Aya what is going on here? You're starting to freak me out!"

"_Would you?!"_

"Ugh, I don't know! Maybe!" she replied, shaking her hands wildly about. "Look, this conversation is over! Let's just get to Arella's place, okay?"

For the rest of the way, neither girl said a word. While she'd hoped that the extra knowledge would leave her somewhat at ease, instead it had left the android more distraught than before. Adira's answer may have not been a definite yes, but neither had it been a definite no. And Aya could help but let another thought overtake her: Would Razer's be the same?

* * *

**Just one name this time:**

**Delilah (_dee-LYE-lah) - lovelorn, seductive_**

**__****Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated, just no flames!**


	19. Chapter 19

**************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 19**

"My lady Arella?!"

In the dim-lit room, the open eyes of the soothsayer glowed with fervor. When she spoke, her voice was coupled alongside another that was not her own.

"_The Aya comes. The destroyer comes…"_

* * *

Aya stared wide-eyed at the building that loomed before her. It was certainly different from all the others with its mosaic art yet simple architecture. This was where the soothsayer lived? She couldn't help but wonder if it reflected the woman's personality, assuming that the soothsayer was a woman. According to her databanks, the name 'Arella' was a female name. But going back on topic, the AI subconsciously compared it to the structures she'd witnessed in their journeys prior to now, and it differed from every single one of them. Perhaps its design alone was attempting to convey the message that the seer herself was different from any other being they had ever encountered.

Adira let out a low whistle. "Are you sure about this? The soothsayer tends to be a bit…intimidating." She shook slightly.

Aya looked at her. _"I have never seen you frightened before," _she commented.

"Hey, I'm not _scared_ of her!" she insisted, though the way she hugged her body suggested otherwise. "I just don't trust her okay?" Both girls faced forward, studying the temple even more. "It's like…I don't know how to describe it, but every time I go to visit her, I get this weird feeling under my skin. I feel as though she's more powerful than she lets on. And whenever she shows me a vision, it's as though she's peering into my very soul, gathering all of my secrets." She paused for a moment and then shrugged. "Or maybe I'm just paranoid, who knows?"

"_Her presence must be quite unsettling if it is enough to instill fear in both you and Razer."_

"Like I said, I am _not_ afraid of her!"

Hesitantly, the two girls approached the building which appeared to grow larger the closer they drew although both knew it was only a trick of the mind. Aya reached out and grabbed hold of the cloth covering the entrance, prepared to enter, when she turned back to see Adira about 5 meters behind her.

"You know what, you go in and I'll wait for you out here. It's the tunnel in the very back guarded by two guys in uniform!" she replied quickly, taking another step backwards. "Anyway, you better get going!"

The AI gave her one last pointed look of skepticism before pushing the curtain aside and entering the temple. Inside, Aya was certain that if she'd had to breathe, her breath would have stopped at the sight. The temple was covered in various paintings of different entities, each representing a different task. She could only wonder if these were the gods celebrated during the festival and the ones Razer occasionally referred to. Caught up by the sight, instead of heading towards the back as Adira had instructed, Aya wandered about the hall, recording every little detail imaginable. Never before had she examined a place such as this, a place dedicated solely to the worship of the different deities, though she'd hoped to see one in the future. Now here, she was unwilling to let the opportunity to explore slip away. All around, many Volkregians had their heads bowed and their hands clasped together. Some tucked their legs beneath them and pressed their foreheads to the floor, while others remained standing. But they all directed their attentions towards the paintings in front of them. Some of the gods had humanoid figures while others didn't even appear tangible.

Curious, Aya approached one of the villagers, one who had appeared to have finished his prayers, and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Oh, uh, hi can I help you?" he asked with a start.

"_Pardon my interruption, but I am curious about the nature of your deities. Please, what differentiates them from one another?" _she asked.

"Uh, well first of all they each represent different necessities that we depend on. For farming, you may pray to the God of Harvest, or for mining maybe the God of Stone."

"_Interesting. What makes a god? From whence did they originate?"_

"Good question. Gods are beings that hold great and unstoppable power above all other beings. No one really knows exactly where they came from or what their true forms are. All we know is what we have gathered from our records of our ancestors many years ago. Some are even thought to have originated from other planets with little description on them, hence the incomplete paintings." He motioned to one of the wall arts labeled the _God of the Wind._

Aya's brow pinched. _"If there is no definite proof of their existence, why do organics place their trust in these gods, so much so that some even dedicate their lives to their worship?"_

The man smiled. "That's where faith comes in. You never really know if these Gods exist or not. Who knows, maybe there is no greater power at work. But then again, maybe there is. You decide what you choose to believe in! If there really is a god out there, just remember that they'll be watching over you."

"_Tell me, where does your soothsayer play a role in this?"_

He bit his lip. "From as far back as we can remember there's always been a soothsayer, a person born amongst our people with the power to see a person's destiny as well as the fate of all life. He or she is said to be the one liaison between life and the gods' plane. We don't know why or how it happens, it just happens. It's a mystery really."

Before the AI could question him any further however, a hand reached out from behind and laid itself on her shoulder. Startled, Aya whirled around and found herself face-to-face with an armed guard.

"Are you Aya?" he asked sternly.

"_Correct," _she confirmed.

"Arella the Soothsayer has been expecting you. Follow me if you wish to see her." And without another word, he about-faced and headed towards the back. Aya followed him falteringly. He eventually came to a stop at the entrance to a small tunnel where another guard stood watching. "This way," he said, beckoning her to it, and then taking his place alongside the other guard. Aya didn't have to be told twice. She wasn't a fool.

Steeling herself for what was to come, the AI navcom made her way into the tunnel not stopping until she'd reached the end where the infamous seer sat waiting.

"_You are Arella?"_

She gave a graceful nod. "Yes. Please, have a seat."

Aya did just that, kneeling down on the second cushion. _"You foresaw my arrival."_

"Correct. While a specific individual's destiny remains hidden to me should they choose not to discuss it, I do however foresee events pertaining to matters concerning the greater good."

"_As I have learned."_

Arella nodded. "Tell me Aya, why have you come here?"

"_Recently you performed a reading for my crewmate which left him fairly distressed. I wish to know what it was that caused this."_

Despite the robes she wore that obscured her face, enough of her skin was visible to see the creasing above her eyes. "Child, I am afraid I cannot release that information. My visitors' visions are theirs alone."

"_But I must know. It is my belief that his vision pertains to myself as well as him. If I am the cause of his discomfort, I wish to know the reason so I can begin further measures so as to ensure it does not come to fruition," _Aya explained hopefully.

"I am deeply sorry, but they must remain confidential. You will have to consult your companion and have him tell you himself."

"_Surely there are exceptions you can make! Green Lantern Hal often claims that discipline and regulations are 'overrated.'"_

"You are not the first to ask this of me. If I make an exception for you, I would have to do the same for all the others. Their guaranteed secrecy is what allows them to trust me and encourages their return. When my time comes, their secrets will perish with me. Is that understood?"

Aya bowed her head in disappointment. It was no use asking this woman any further. The AI knew when action was unnecessary and it was obvious she was not going to release any new information on Razer, so pushing her was futile. Resigned, Aya stood up. _"Then I thank you for your assistance. I will not waste your time by lingering here any longer."_

"And I would hate to keep you here without a reason," Arella replied, rising to her own feet. "However, there is a significant matter which requires my attention…and yours."

This left the GL robot floored. For what reason would the soothsayer require her attention specifically? She was not even a citizen here. But before the question could even reach the tip of her oral receptor, Arella had already turned her back on her and began to wander towards the end of the cave she resided in where another curtain draped down towards the floor. "I am first and foremost the gods' messenger. But a time comes when even the messenger must act," she said. To the AI's greater surprise, Arella pushed this curtain aside, revealing another tunnel behind it. This tunnel was smaller and not lit unlike the previous one but Arella slipped inside without a moment's hesitation. With no other choice or even a chance to question, Aya followed after her.

For about 2.1 minutes, not a word was exchanged between the two as they ventured deeper in. Aya was baffled and a bit frustrated. She disliked not being informed of the situation. But when she pointed this out to the mysterious woman, her question remained unanswered. "Aya, have you ever desired to end a life?"

The gears in Aya's mind clicked in place. _"I beg your pardon?"_

"Have you ever killed before?"

Her eyes widened. _"No, it is not an option I plan to choose now or in the future."_

"Are you certain of this?" she asked, her voice hardened.

"_Quite. Have _you_ ever ended an organic life?" _Aya threw back.

"Multiple times," she said smoothly.

Aya froze dead in her tracks. This woman…?

"It was my job as a warlord's assassin after all, long before I became the soothsayer." She continued. "I learned of my gift of foresight when I was five years old. When word spread that a new seer had been born, one of the warlords arrived in my village, killed my family, stole me away, and raised me as his personal lapdog. He used my sight to scout out his opponents, and then sent me to destroy them.

"I slaughtered thoughtlessly…no, that's a lie. I reveled in it. Killing was all I knew, proof that I was alive. If I ever stopped, I felt as though I had no purpose in life."

"_If this is true, what caused you to change?"_ Aya asked cautiously without betraying any fear.

"A messiah descended and gave me a greater purpose. I saw the light, so to say." That's when the tunnel opened up into a cavern where a large waterfall tumbled down from the ceiling. The AI could only stare. It took a moment for her to realize that the seer was speaking again. "And now, so will you."

Her arms which had remained folded in front of her chest now lowered to her sides, allowing her pure white robes to slip from her shoulders to reveal a white, short-sleeved dress held at the neck by a metal collar that wound its way firmly around her body, ending just above her knees and flowing out in the back. Her skin was light grey like the rest of her kind, excluding the Minara. Yet, instead of the black clan lines running down her arms as Aya had seen on many others, Arella's were completely clear. And that's when she saw it, the mark bared on her arms just below her shoulders. A circle between opposing arrows, resembling a humanoid eye. Stepping towards the waterfall, she reached into the torrent water and then retracted it, her fingers clenched firmly around something. Aya blinked. It appeared to be some sort of scepter indicated by the way the held it. However, it was no ordinary scepter, for her sensors were picking up an incredible amount of energy stored within it.

Facing Aya once again, the seer's eyes were open now and glowing with the color of the light that shined from her stave. The same symbol lay ingrained on her now revealed forehead. Arella stood tall and proud in all her glory; no longer was she the mysterious woman hidden beneath layers of fabric. At that moment, Aya realized that Adira had been right. Arella _was_ more powerful than she let on! When she took a step towards her, the AI had to force herself not to take a step back. And when she spoke, even her voice had grown stronger.

"Many men have come to me claiming they would never harm a soul. But the truth is the urge to hurt remains dormant in us all. When push comes to shove, we all revert back to our primitive ways and the will to bring pain comes easy."

"_For what purpose are you informing me of this? Why did you bring me here at all?"_

"You claim that you do not kill. But after the visit of your companion, visions of a dark and disastrous furture have continued to plague me without pause. A path of destruction awaits us all, a path that is paved by _you!_" she exclaimed, raising an accusing finger in her direction. Had she been organic, Aya would have flinched from the venom in her voice. "With that being said, I brought you here to give you a gift. One you cannot refuse."

Approaching the robot GL, Arella lifted her stave so that it was pressed against the AI's chest plate right on top of the GL symbol. The moment the mouth of the staff came in contact with her hardlight skin, Aya was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of energy that filled her. Light filled her entire vision, spilling into her circuits this strange and foreign power. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the soothsayer talking.

"I bestow a piece of the indigo light within you. Should you ever attempt to end a life, it will activate. Since you are made of the green energy of willpower, the light will not overpower your thoughts but it will be just enough to open your eyes so you may properly judge your actions. Compassion is to be extended to all."

Aya wobbled on her mechanical feet, this new light leaving her unstable. Her processors were struggling to analyze the new energy but couldn't make anything of it at all. No longer in control of her mobility, her limbs gave way underneath her. She collapsed to the ground in a heap, the 'indigo light' as the soothsayer called it literally flashing before her very eyes. Lying there on the cavern floor, her vision began to pixilate and Arella's face gradually faded from view. But thankfully her audio receptors remained functional just long enough for her to catch her final words.

"Fear not Aya. Once your systems have shut down for a hard reboot, I will ensure that this encounter is erased from your memory banks. For now, may the gods watch over you, Formorrow Sur!"

And then everything faded to black.

* * *

**Chapter 19, yay! ****I'm so glad I was able to get this chapter out before I leave for my study abroad! Thought I'd give you guys a present first! **So, did I surprise any of you?! Yes? No? Let me know! I'm no expert on the Indigo Corp. so feel free to PM/review me if you've got any helpful tips! The purpose of this chapter was because I wanted a reason for Aya's behavior which Hal discovered in the final episode (for those who haven't finished the series, you totally should!). Don't worry, this wasn't Arella's only purpose. She'll be popping up here and there. 

**On a separate note, I just want to say how happy I am at how well (most of) my OCs were received! On average I've been getting pretty good feedback from everyone. For Adira, I wanted to make her tough/badass without going overboard or turning her into a Mary Sue. And don't worry, Razer, my favorite character, will NOT fall for her (RAZAYA FOREVER!). In fact, in my initial drafting of the story, she started out as Neera, his biological sister. I decided to change that to give Aya some character development and let her learn a little more about just what it means to be alive! For Zafeer, I wanted a character who was similar to Aya, someone she could relate to. It was tough coming up with a backstory that would fit him though. I hope I did it justice. For Naaman, with Adira and Zafeer both young and immature, I needed a parental figure to watch out for the two of them. I later realized that he was the Kilowog of the group, hence why they became friends! **

**That's all for now! Wish me luck, and bon voyage!**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated, just no flames!**


	20. Chapter 20

**********************Hello my dear readers! Fear not, for I am here with a new chapter! Don't forget to check out my deviantart account! I just uploaded some new pictures pertaining to the story, including one of Aya in her new dress!  
**

**********************www {dot} fficwriterxx {dot} deviantart {dot} com**

******************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 20**

"Ow!"

"Quit complaining you big baby!" Hal said in a voice that suggested he was scolding him. Yet the amusement on his face said otherwise.

"I'm so sorry darlin', but ya need ta keep still if ya don't wanna git yerself poked so much, ya git what I'm sayin'?"

Razer gritted his teeth in annoyance. This was why he hated wearing formal clothes! The effort it took to acquire them wasn't worth it in his opinion!

As Adira had commanded, Naaman and Zafeer had delivered the boys to Rakhshanda's hut where the seamstress had immediately whipped out her measuring tape at the sight of them. That would have been fine, except that when she got excited the woman was worse than a tornado in Hal's opinion. In a moment she was all over them, bustling about, yanking fabric, needles, and pins from out of nowhere. Hal had gone first, taking the brunt of the pain as she'd stuck pin after pin into him while the others watched with jeering faces. Apparently her hands tended to shake whenever she got excited. Kilowog had followed after, taking the longest because of his size, leaving Razer for last. The red lantern nearly bit his tongue when another pin poked his side for the tenth time. And she hadn't even made it to the other side yet. Plus, he'd been holding his arms up for about thirty minutes now. He could feel an ache blossoming at his shoulders.

"I dun understand what the fuss is with you boys! Yer lady friend Aya went through the same thing without makin' a peep!"

Razer didn't bother pointing out that Aya didn't have to worry about feeling pain like they did.

"By the way, what color trim would y'all two prefer?" Rakshanda asked, glancing back towards the other two green lanterns.

Hal looked at Kilowog. "Well, we are 'Green Lanterns' so I guess green works!"

"I'm on it!" she replied.

"Hey wait, what about Red? Aren't ya gonna aske what color he'd like?" Kilowog pointed out.

"The color of the trim is usually determined by—ow!—what clan you're in," Razer explained. "You two get to choose yours since you're not part of any clan."

"Ooooh," Hal said. "So what color represents clan Musa?"

"Blue."

"Hm," Hal rubbed his chin. "Well, blue suits you!" he said, clapping Razer on the shoulder.

"Ow!" Razer cried as the pins in his shoulder punctured him yet again. He wouldn't be surprised if they drew blood this time.

"Whoops, sorry!" he apologized directly after.

Kilowog let out an annoyed huff. "So, exactly how much longer are we supposed to wait here?" he asked, the boredom in his voice obvious.

"Mmmm, I'd say about an hour at most," Rakhshanda said, not bothering to take her eyes off of her work. "I give y'all permission to scoot along if that's what ya want so badly! It might take a bit."

Off to the side, Zafeer nodded. "If you wish, I can remain here and Naaman can escort you elsewhere."

Hal jumped at the idea of leaving early. "Sounds good to me! I'm all up for it!"

Naaman got to his feet. "Then it's settled. Come along then, I'm sure you're eager to return to your ship and begin repairs. And I'm certain Adira will be returning shortly with your friend."

"Hey wait!" Razer called from where he stood on his stool.

"Meet you at the Interceptor! We'll see ya in a bit kid!" Kilowog cheered happily as they exited the hut. The last thing they saw was the red lantern's helpless face before they closed the door behind them. But they paid no heed. Both green lanterns were eager to get out of there and get moving at long last!

"So, who's up for a little poking around before heading back to work?" Hal asked, taking a stretch.

"Don't have to ask me twice!" was Kilowog's immediate response.

"Very well. Where do you wish to go?" Naaman asked.

"Just around, it doesn't really matter," said the human green lantern.

Naaman nodded. "In that case, perhaps the main square would be of interest to you. Follow me!"

* * *

"So what did the oh-so-wise soothsayer tell you? Did she answer any of your questions?" Adira asked the AI once she'd returned outside.

Aya only placed her mechanical hand against her helmet. _"I do not recall. Something must have damaged my circuit pathways for the memory was not properly stored. I believe I learned something of importance but what it was eludes me."_

Adira crossed her arms and shook her head. "Yeah, I figured as much! See, I told you not to trust that lady! Her voodoo magic leaves almost everyone feeling a bit tipsy. And she gives me the creeps!" Just as an afterthought, she added, "you didn't hear me say that."

The two girls continued walking a further, headed in the direction of the Interceptor. Unbeknownst to her guide, Aya was quite curious as to what sort of outfits her companions would return with. Her own dress had left her feeling impressed. She had never been one to care about looks, having designed her physical form more for practicality than for aesthetic taste, but after trying on the garment, she had been unable to take it off for quite some time. Plus, the boys had reacted positively to it, from what she could tell, though Razer was as unexpressive as usual. Did he not like it? Or did it remind him too much of his former life? To this, Aya couldn't help but think, _did Ilana wear a similar outfit once? _

Just then, the huntress extended her arm, temporarily blocking the path of the AI green lantern, her gaze directed forward. "Oh my Grotz, it's Etana!" she exclaimed in an excited whisper.

Aya frowned in confusion. Turning her eyes in the direction of Adira's attention, she found herself looking upon an older woman closer to Naaman in age, most likely in her early forties. Yet, despite that, the way she held herself was anything but that of a middle-aged woman. She stood tall and proud with her back straightened and her chin held high, a large smile gracing her plump lips. The woman was from the Mecha clan, indicated by the familiar markings running down the right side of her face. At first sight, she appeared to be wearing a dress like most of the other Volkregian females but upon further inspection Aya realized that her "skirt" was actually a long tunic-like coat that split open in the front and flowed out in the back while a pair of leggings covered the rest of her legs down to her boots. And even more surprising, this Etana did not wear a headscarf. Instead, her dark grey hair was pulled back into a bun while a few strands fell into her face. Everything about her screamed 'different.'

As though sensing her confusion, Adira went on to clarify her identity. "Etana of the Mecha clan is one of the most successful women to ever emerge from Volkreg. When she was younger, her family tried to set her up in an arranged marriage. So she ran away from home and went on to learn medicine. Now she works as the head doctor at the hospital."

"_Judging from your emotional reaction, she is of great importance to you," _Aya noted.

Adira squeezed her eyes shut and let out a small, high-pitched noise. "She is sooo amazing! All my life, I've dreamed of being just like her! Independent, self-sustaining, and not having to rely on a man to take care of her!"

Turning back to look at the woman, Aya's eyes widened when she realized that her idol had caught sight of them as well. With a sly smile tugging at her lips, Etana graciously made her way over to them in stride, never rushing yet the weight of her steps seemed to make her intentions clear. "Well, well, how's my favorite huntress on this fine day?" Etana asked in a solid voice.

"Doing just fine thanks!" Adira said excitedly. She looked like she was ready to explode with glee.

"How're the big bad elders treating ya?"

Adira pouted. "There still wondering when I'll finally put a headscarf on! I think they've started to crack down even harder than before."

"Pfft, don't listen to those old geezers!" Etana laughed loudly, placing her hands on her hips. "They used to do the same thing to me a while back! You just got to give 'em a little while and eventually senility will get the better of them, you'll see! Besides, that white hair of yours is too fiery to cover up!"

"You think?!"

"I know!" the older woman responded with enough confidence to leave the AI astounded. She'd never met a woman who spoke so freely, so unafraid. Even the Zamarons could come to learn something from her. In comparison, Adira was a shy spoken child. It was no wonder she looked up to her. In a way, Aya could help the nostalgia processing in her circuits. She wondered if she acted the same way around Green Lantern Hal whenever he complemented her. The two were quite similar, sort of.

"Who's this pretty, little thing?" Etana asked, turning her attention towards the AI.

"This is Aya. She and her Green Lantern friends are staying here until their ship is completely repaired."

"_A pleasure to meet you," _Aya said politely. _"Adira has spoken greatly of you and your accomplishments."_

"Hmph, she might have exaggerated a bit. I only did what was necessary to take care of number one!" she explained, jabbing a thumb in her direction. "Sometimes if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself."

"_Duly noted!"_

She gave the AI a pat on the shoulder. "Anyway, I best not keep the hospital waiting. There are people to be healed! Take care you two!" And like a hurricane, she was gone. Aya could hardly believe that a woman of her age could still have so much energy. But when she turned to Adira to comment, she found the girl still star struck.

"She. Is. So. COOL!"

* * *

"Yer kiddin' me! You joined the rebels?!" Kilowog said in awe.

Naaman nodded. "That's correct. I fought alongside them for quite some time. With our home destroyed by the warlords, my wife and I had nowhere else to go, and they were more than willing to take us in," he explained."

"Don't mind me asking, but what exactly caused the warlords to go nuts then? You said before that the warlords used to mind their own business and left the people alone. What happened?"

The Volkregian shook his head. "I honestly don't know what happened. All of a sudden, as if overnight, the warlords were overcome with this desire to outdo each other and extend their reign as far as it would go. And while all of them were vicious, one of the warlords was so merciless, it was almost inhumane." Naaman's gaze fell to his hands. "It was horrible, some of the things he did."

"You don't have ta tell me if it bothers ya that much."

"No, the only thing worse than telling would be remaining silent. His name was Diaab of the Musa clan, a vile yet genius conqueror. He used to use the most ruthless tactics to take over, burning many villages and slaughtering hundreds of innocents. He stopped for nothing, cared for almost nothing but himself."

The Bolovaxian Green Lantern raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Almost?"

"Well, the man had a son who he kept at his side at all times. Whenever he was out conquering, he kept the boy's face hidden so as not to be identified. No doubt Diaab was grooming his son to become his successor. But one day, the boy just disappeared." Naaman stopped for a moment to compose himself. "Diaab searched everywhere, tearing down everything that stood in his way until he finally found his son…blown to pieces by a land mine."

"Knartz…" Kilowog muttered incredulously. "What happened then?"

"Well, people say that's when he finally broke. His kingdom began to crumble, and the rebels took advantage of this. We stormed his fortress, took out his troops, and ended his reign for good. I don't know what has become of him since."

"And when did you all decide to move house?"

"Directly after that I believe. Even though the rebels had won and taken back control of our home, the planet was completely wiped out by then. Nothing would grow; life could no longer be supported anymore. So, the Mecha came together and built escape ships large enough to hold everyone left behind. We all boarded and searched for about a year until we came across this planet."

"Wait wait, if the Mecha clan built all those fancy ships, why didn't they do it when the warlords were attacking so you guys could escape then?"

"The warlords kept a firm hold over the Mecha clan. Their projects were always under heavy watch so they could not build anything that might overthrow the warlords' authority."

Kilowog crossed his arms, his head giving a satisfied nod. "I gotta say, that's one heck of a story! It's a good thing that you guys finally won in the end. It's just a shame that a kid had to die in the process."

"Perhaps it's for the best. I'm certain the boy would have turned out to be just as bloodthirsty as his father once was. Though everyone hates to admit it, sometimes in order to bring about peace sacrifices must be made."

* * *

Hal stood off a little farther away from where Kilowog and Naaman stood chatting. The human was pleased to see that the sergeant had made a new friend, but he'd lost interest once the two began to discuss history and politics. So instead, the pilot focused his attention on the surrounding area. At the moment, they stood in the center of the village where most of the action seemed to be taking place. People continued to hang up colorful banners and decorations, greatly contrasting their neutral everyday attire, and he could tell that everyone was growing increasingly excited by the upcoming festival tomorrow. Hal found himself anticipating it as well. It would be interesting to see how Volkregians liked to party!

His thoughts were cut short however when he felt something, or rather, someone bump into him from behind. Turning around, he found a young boy no older than three sitting on the ground and gazing up at him with wide blue eyes. Sprigs of white hair stuck out from under the tiny grey cap that covered his head, framing his small face.

Hal smiled. "Easy there little fella, don't want to hurt yourself!" He said, crouching down to his level. The boy continued to stare at him in awe.

"Wha' dat?" he asked, pointing a hand at his face.

"What this? Oh, this is my mask. It keeps my face warm!" Hal joked.

"Oooh!" The boy muttered, reaching a hand towards it. But before he could even touch his face, two hands reached out from behind and pulled the boy away.

"No Matek, you don't go around touching people's faces! It's not nice!" The man said, lifting the boy onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry about him!" he then said, turning back towards Hal.

"Oh it's no problem at all! He wasn't bothering me in the least!"

"That's good to hear! Matek sometimes gets a little too curious for his own good." He chuckled. "You must be one of the new guests in town that I've heard so much about! One of the 'Green Lanterns'?"

"That's right. I'm Hal Jordan of Earth, pleasure to make your acquaintance!" He extended his hand in greeting.

"Khalil of Musa," the man replied, taking his hand in a firm handshake.

"Huh, a Musa like Razer eh? I guess you're a farmer too?"

"That's right. My wife and I own three plots of land farther north," he proudly replied. But a moment later his face turned serious. "By the way, did you just say Razer?"

"Yeah, he's a member of my crew. You know him?"

"I knew a Razer a couple of years ago. He was about three years younger than me. We were childhood friends, but after he joined the militia I never heard from him again. I was sure he'd died in battle or something like that. He's really still alive?"

"Alive and kicking!"

"No kidding," Khalil muttered softly. "I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from him, especially after all that he's been through. And after his encounter with the warlord."

That part caught Hal off guard. "Wait, Razer actually _faced_ the warlord?!"

"Yes, we both did. It was a while back though. He ended up living with my family after that," Khalil said sadly.

"What do you mean? What happened?" Hal asked, his eyes narrowing.

"He hasn't told you?" Hal shook his head. "It might not be my place to tell then."

"Khalil, I know we've just met and all, and you have every right not to trust me. But Razer's been my crewmate for a while now and he never really talks about his past. I'd like to help if possible, but I can't if I don't even know what happened." To this Khalil, only looked at him skeptically. "I promise I won't say anything. I need you to believe me when I say that I want to help him. Please."

Exhaling slightly, the Volkregian placed his young son back on the ground. "Matek, why don't you go on and play with some of the other kids for a moment, alright?" Matek cheered happily and ran off in the direction of the miniature playground nearby. Letting out another sigh, Khalil looked back at him, his face hardened and his eyes dark. "It was about four years ago back on Volkreg. I was 18, and he was 15. Razer, Ilana, and I were walking back to our homes for the day."

* * *

"_So, in your honest opinions, what did you guys think?" Ilana asked, doing another graceful twirl._

_Khalil snickered. "I honestly thought you looked like a dancing Grizzvolpe!"_

_Ilana scowled. "I did not!" she yelled back, giving him a light smack on the arm. "Razer, what did you think?" she asked then, taking hold of his hand as they walked._

_Razer gave her a gentle smile. "I think your dancing was perfect Ilana. They're sure to pick you to represent the Musa clan for the next Gods Festival."_

"_See? Razer liked my dancing!" she grinned triumphantly before sticking out her tongue at Khalil._

"_You guys are betrothed, his opinion doesn't count!" Khalil retorted._

_The three continued to laugh and bicker along the way without a care in the world. It had been a while since they'd had time to laugh freely. After news had arrived in their village that the warlord's armies were drawing closer, everyone had bolted their doors, huddled away in their house, and armed themselves to the teeth. In fact the three of them had even been given weapons of their own in case of an attack. Razer kept two knives hidden in his tunic while Khalil stored a couple of throwing stars in his sleeves. Even Ilana had a small stiletto strapped to her thigh under her skirt. One could never be too careful! _

_But despite all of the fear running amok, the army had yet to disturb the quiet little village. Once three weeks had passed without a trace of the warlord's army, the people began to settle down if only a little. They still carried weapons with them, but had calmed down enough to venture from their houses and return to their daily routine. As far as the kids were concerned, they were safe for the time being._

"_Well, my dancing is still better than your farming skills Khalil. If I recall, your Master said you have yet to properly dig the mounds for the Garnesh patches."_

"_Hey I'm working on it! Just give me some more time, and those Garnesh plants will be popping up like weeds! Yesterday, the mounds were only a few centimeters off. Back me up here Ray! Ray?"_

_His friend didn't answer. Instead, he stood staring at the front of his home where the door stood wide open. Razer's face was contorted in confusion._

"_Razer what's wrong?" Ilana asked worriedly._

"_Mother always tells me not to forget to close the door the minute I leave. Why would she keep it open?"_

_Khalil shrugged. "Maybe she forgot to close it?"_

_Razer shook his head before running in through the entrance, the other two following right behind. Something wasn't right. Inside, everything in the house had been torn to pieces. The curtains flopped limply, torn from their hangers, tables had been cracked or overturned, and pieces of debris littered the floor. The small home had been ransacked._

"_Mother?" Razer called cautiously._

"_Ms. Renana?" Ilana searched, entering one of the other rooms._

_Khalil's eyes darted back and forth, scanning the main living quarters. "Ray, I don't think she's-,"_

_But before the last words could leave his mouth, he was cut off mid-sentence by a high-pitched scream coming from one of the other rooms. The boys dashed in as fast as they could…and were shocked at what they found. Ilana sat cowering against the wall, covering her face with her hands. In front of her, a pool of blood stained the floor rug, leaking from the once live victim. Renana's eyes remained open, staring deathly at the ceiling, no longer registering anything. The eyes of the dead. Her headscarf had been pulled from her head, her once white hair now splayed all around her in the puddle and dyed dark blue from her blood. And judging from her torn skirt and the dark bruises running down her legs, some man had had his way with her before her death. Or perhaps, some _men.

"_Uh…" Razer staggered backwards in shock, his back hitting the wall behind him. His legs lost all strength then and he collapsed to the floor._

"_Oh Grotz, I think I'm gonna be sick!" Khalil covered his mouth. "Come on guys, let's get out of here!" When they didn't move, he made his way over to Ilana and pulled her to her feet, leading her towards the door while she continued to cover her eyes. Coming back in, Khalil stood in front of Razer, blocking his view of the corpse that was once his mother. Lifting him up, Khalil nearly carried him out the door as well. _

"_Hey Ray, come on, snap out of it!" he whispered, shaking his shoulders slightly. Razer didn't respond. He continued to blink dumbly into space, overcome by what he'd seen. "Look, now is not the time to be acting like a zombie! We need to get help and find out who did this!"_

_Ilana had begun to cry now. Her body shivered as tears started to roll down her face. "We're gonna die. They're going to get us all!" she sobbed. _

_Khalil turned his head to her, his hands never letting go of his friend's shoulders. "Ilana, stop that! It's not helping!" he snapped. He would have said more, but whatever it was died before leaving his mouth. Only then did he notice the shadow that had eclipsed them, coming from the large figure that now towered over the three. He felt the blood drain from his face._

"_Well, well, well, what do we have here?" _

* * *

**So sorry for the late update! Finally got some time to work on this. Thank you all for the number of reviews on the last chapter! You're awesome! First, a shout out to a certain reader!**

**To FangirlCookies: What kind of writer am I, you ask? One who enjoys hearing your honest opinion. Thank you for your feedback and I will take your words into consideration ^_^**

* * *

**Anyway, Just in case you guys are wondering, female Mecha members have their markings of the right side of their faces, and the males have them on the left! Secondly I have decided to open a little contest for you all. Each of you readers has the opportunity to submit your own Volkregian OC to the group! To do this, you must leave either a review or a private message with your character's name, age, clan, personality, and anything else you deem important about your character! From the submissions, I will pick one to add to my story! Please note that they may not be added immediately though.**

**However, there are some rules I must include:**

**1. The character must be of your own design, hence the name OC.**

**2. The character must have a reasonable design, one that will not disrupt the canon, and will fit in this story (example: It's already been established that Razer is an only child, so no siblings for him). **

**3. Your character cannot be apart of a lantern corp. Remember, the Volkregians don't know what the Green Lanterns are so it's highly unlikely that they'd be apart of one (with the exception of Arella).**

**4. You are allowed to design a character that has been mentioned but not thoroughly introduced (example: Naaman is married, but his wife has not been written in. You are allowed to design a character for her)**

**5. If you decide to provide me with a backstory for your character, it cannot be soooo long that it would take away from the plot just to explain it!**

**6. Lastly, have fun with this, and good luck to you all! I look forward to see what you'll throw out there! If you have any further questions, PM me!**

**Names again!**

**Etana (eh-tah-nah) – strong **

**Diaab (dee-ah-ahb) – one who perseveres **

**Matek (mah-tec) – gift **

**Khalil (Kah-LEEL) – friend, devoted comrade **

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly appreciated, just no flames!**


	21. Chapter 21

**********************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 21**

Hal couldn't help but let out a low whistle. "You're kidding," he muttered.

Khalil shook his head before looking at the ground. "I wish I was. He was never really the same after that. Before, Razer was generally carefree, didn't pay much attention to the war. He had a temper, but he kept to himself most of the time. Yet after that event, he became very bitter. It's where his hatred for the warlords took root."

"I never knew," Hal replied. "That's certainly something I wouldn't tell anyone. I wonder if Naaman or Adira went through anything like that…"

Khalil's head rose up in surprise. "Adira? You're hanging around with her?"

"Well, sort of. She, Zafeer, and Naaman are technically supposed to be guarding us but they're pretty lenient for the most part." When Khalil's gaze darkened, Hal couldn't help but wonder what he'd said wrong. "Uh, something bothering you?"

"All I can advise is do not listen to anything she says! Adira harbors ill will against our culture for reasons that are unknown. She tends to take every opportunity to voice her opposition and point out all of its 'flaws'," he said bitterly, his hands clenching at his sides.

"Sooo, I'm guessing you two don't agree on most things?" Hal said casually, not wanting to upset him.

"That's an understatement. You see, my family was very strict about learning the meaning and the origin, of our traditions. As I'm sure you've seen, Adira is not well versed in her history, is she?"

That much Hal could agree with, remembering their incident at the mines and the way she'd flippantly dismissed their importance as though they were nothing. Even Naaman had seemed upset with her lack of respect. Obviously, this was a touchy subject for the young man. Not wanting the conversation to evolve into another political talk, the green lantern did his best to change the subject. "Anyway, what happened next? In your story, that is."

Khalil eyed him. "Are you sure you want to hear the rest of this?" When Hal nodded, he sighed. "Very well…"

* * *

"_Well, well, well, what do we have here?"_

_Khalil gulped. Right behind him, four scraggly and armed Musa soldiers stood jeering at the group. Large grins were plastered on their faces, showing off their chipped teeth, browned from neglect. With swords raised, the soldiers stomped slowly towards the young group, who continued to back up helplessly against the wall. Being the eldest of the three, Khalil did his best to shield the other two with his body in hopes of giving them some sort of protection, but once they were cornered, his efforts were all for naught. Before any of them could think, one of the men had wrapped his arms underneath Khalil's armpits and behind his head, immobilizing him and cutting off his access to his throwing stars in his sleeves. After a brief struggle, another soldier had easily wrestled Razer to the ground, pinning his head to the floor. The last two had dropped their weapons to take hold of Ilana, who continued to shake uncontrollably as they stroked the side of her face, pushing her hair away. _

"_Come on sweetie, no need to be scared, just wanna get a look at ya!" the heavy round one with greasy facial hair snickered at her. Ilana shut her eyes, causing his grin to grow larger. "Tell me, did your mama ever tell you what it's like to become a _real_ woman?" he asked. She whimpered in response._

"_Hey, back off, I saw her first!" the taller one retaliated, jerking her arm towards him. "Besides, you already got the older lady!"_

_From where he was pinned, Razer growled under his breath. "Let her go!" _

_The lanky guard holding him only pressed his face further to the ground. "Settle down junior," he sneered tauntingly. _

_The heavy one laughed out loud. "Alright then, if you really want a part of the action, why don't we both show her a good time?" he asked his companion. _

"_Sounds good to me!" the other said with a grotesque grin. Closing in on her, they pulled Ilana towards them, hiding her from view of the other two. _

"_NO!" they heard her cry._

_On the ground, Razer struggled ferociously against the man holding him. He kicked out with his legs, jerked his hands as best as he could, and even considered biting his captor if he could reach. But it was no use, he was trapped. "ILANA!" _

"_GAAAAAAGGGHHH!"_

_A loud, decidedly male, scream rang out, startling them all. Eyes widened as the heavy soldier stumbled backwards, his left hand clutched to his eye. Between his fingers, blood began to ooze out and drip to the floor. Not a second later, the other guard staggered back as well, grabbing hold of his hand where blood began to seep out from a long cut across his palm. In front of them, Ilana stood up, the stiletto she'd kept hidden on her person now clenched in one of her hands. Her breathing was heavy and her body still shivered, but she held it high and firm. _

"_S-stay away from me!" Ilana screamed, slashing the blade blindly in front of her. The other two stepped back to avoid it._

_Taking advantage of the momentary confusion, Khalil went limp, letting gravity pull him to the ground. Caught off guard, the soldier's grip on him loosened. Once free, he reared his head back, allowing the back of his skull to crash into the man's face with a satisfying crunch before elbowing him to the ground. Reaching into his sleeve, he withdrew two throwing stars and flung them at the guard holding Razer captive. With his arms occupied, the guard had little choice but to roll out of the way, releasing his prisoner in the process. _

_Razer quickly pulled himself off the ground, and then ran over to Ilana, taking her hand in his own._

"_RUN!" Khalil yelled to them, making his way towards the exit. They didn't need to be told twice. The group ran as quickly as their feet would allow them, jumping over fallen debris, darting through the doorways. And yet, they'd barely even made it across the threshold when they were cornered once more as seven more soldiers showed up out of nowhere. Turning back towards the house, they could only freeze where they stood as the four previous guards arrived, blocking any means of escape. There was no use fighting their way through, they'd never win with just the three of them. It was hopeless._

_The heavy guard stomped up, yanking at Ilana's hair, causing her to cry out in pain. "You little wench!" he cussed, spittle flying from his mouth. "I'll teach you to mess with me!"_

"_Leave her alone!" Razer cried, pulling out his knife and jabbing it towards the man's chest. Irked, the soldier knocked the knife away with his right hand then punched him in the jaw, knocking him off his feet. Razer coughed as he hit the ground, sand getting into his eyes. His breath came out in dry and raspy, the pain searing through him and rattling his teeth._

"_Razer!" Ilana kneeled down, pulling him into her lap. "Are you OK?" she whispered softly. All he could do was nod slowly._

_Snarling now, the soldier's nostrils flared with anger. "A word of advice kids, don't EVER piss off a guy you can't defeat!" he growled, tying a bandage around his head._

_Razer gritted his teeth. "You scum…" he muttered._

"_What did you say?"_

_Khalil coughed nervously. "Ray now's not the time to be picking fights!"_

_Razer paid him no attention. Through the pain that flared in his jaw, he spat "…after what you did to my mother…not even garbage is as low as you!"_

"_RAAAAAAAAAGH!" the guard screamed in a malicious rage, drawing his sword and raising it over his head, aiming to chop the boy to bits. Ilana threw herself over him, hoping to shield him in any way she could. The sword came flying down in one swoop, cold metal whistling through the air, moments away from hitting its target—_

"_Stop!"_

_And the just like that, the sword froze, mere centimeters away from Ilana's neck. Backs straightening, the soldiers turned to face the newcomer. From their places on the ground, the three young adults looked up to see another man standing before them. He too wore the attire of a soldier, just like all the others. However, there was something different about him. This man was younger than most of the others, couldn't have been but a few years older than Khalil himself. Yet, he appeared to be fairly well kempt in comparison to the rest of them and the air that surrounded him seemed to hum with authority. When he stepped forward, none of them moved. Even big, round, and greasy kept still. This new man stared at them all with a hardened glare, eyes roaming over each and every one of them, taking in the situation. When he spoke, his voice was as crisp as he looked._

"_What is the meaning of this soldier?" he asked._

"_Nothing Captain!" the one addressed straightened. "While searching for supplies, we came across this lot. When they attacked, they gave us little choice but to fight back sir!"_

"_Liar," Khalil couldn't help but roll his eyes, earning him another kick in the back._

"_Regardless, I distinctly remember Lord Diaab order us to bring anyone we find to him _alive. _For your sake, I hope this to be the case?" he asked, crossing his arms._

_At the utterance of that name, chills ran down the spines of the three captives. Diaab…Diaab the conqueror…was really here?!_

"_Yes sir! These three were the only ones we found."_

_The captain raised an eyebrow. "Really? Then I hope you don't mind me taking a look around?"_

_The soldier shook his head furiously. "No sir!"_

_And with that, the captain marched passed them and entered the house. Once he was out of sight, all eyes flickered to the heavy round soldier who gulped audibly. _

"_Well, it was nice knowin' ya," the lanky soldier whispered to him._

"_Tch, you think I'm afraid of that guy?" he whispered back. "Bah! The only reason why he got promoted or even got into the army at all was because our Lord's brat favored him! Just wait, he's so wet behind the ears, he'll probably die before the battle's even begun." _

"_Oh gentlemen!" his voice called out from inside, "do you mind coming in here for a second?"_

"_We'll see," the other said as they followed his voice, ending up in the room where Renana's body still lay. Next to her, the captain stood menacingly, his glare darker than before, his posture rigid, his frown deep. _

"_Who. Did. This?" he spoke slowly, gesturing to the corpse. All fingers in the room rose and pointed at the culprit without a second thought. "Come forward soldier." He did so. Unbuttoning his coat pocket, the captain reached into it and revealed a small book, so small it could nearly fit into the palm of his hand. Closing the pocket back up, he then tossed the book to the soldier before speaking. "What is this that I've just given you?"_

_The soldier's eyes glanced down at the book in his hands. "It's the book of our ancestors, Captain."_

"_Correct. Now then, open the book to page 22. Read to me lines 15, 16, and 17 in paragraph 4." The captain turned his back to them._

_He flipped through the book and scanned the page until he found the paragraph his commander spoke of, grumbling through it. Clearing his throat he began to read. "And then the gods called out to him, 'As you have asked, she will be yours. However, should you ever raise a hand against her, or force yourself upon her, the greatest price you will be forced to pay. For so vile an act, death be the consequence that could cover or heal the wounds of a pure maid now defiled.'" After he'd finished reading, the soldier closed the book and gave the captain a skeptical look. "Your point, Captain?" he asked almost mockingly. _

_With his back still facing them, the captain responded with a light chuckle. "Come now soldier, even you're not dumb enough to not understand the meaning. As our ancestors used to tell us, the gods _always_ have the final say."_

_Then, faster than the blink of an eye, the captain spun around, at the same time lifting his hand, letting something fly through the air. With a sickening squelch, a dagger buried itself deep into heavy soldier's throat. His eyes clouded over, and with one final gurgle, the man fell backwards with a loud thud, the dagger still lodged in his neck. No one moved; no one but the young captain who made his way over to the body to observe his work._

"_Humph, animal," he muttered, peering down at the body with disgust. "You!" he jabbed a finger at the lanky soldier. "Clean up this mess."_

"_A-a-a-ay-ay sir!" the man responded._

_The captain nodded. "And you!" he pointed at another soldier, "give this woman proper burial rights. She'll need them in order to successfully descend into the gods' plane. And thanks to your so-called comrade, not only do you have to perform the traditional rights, but you'll need to perform a purification ceremony as well! No one is going anywhere until it's been completed correctly. Do I make myself clear?"_

"_Yes sir!" the replied. _

"_Oh, and by the way if I ever hear any of you insulting my young master or call him a brat again, I will personally cut out your tongue and make you wear it as an example to everyone else."_

_And without another word, they went to work. The lanky soldier began to mop up the blood of his fallen partner in crime, while the others began the ceremony as they'd been told. Renana was removed from the floor and placed onto one of the mattresses in the room. They'd closed her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest, and covered her waist with one of the torn curtains. Her hair was laid back into her shoulders and finally her headscarf was replaced. Once all of the candles were lit and placed around her body, then the ceremony began. And while all of this played out, the captain simply stood there watching without even batting an eye. He stood cool as the running river water that lined his cheeks, undisturbed by the Firewinds that roared across every year. Only after the ceremony was finished and all the tasks that had been asked of them completed did he reward his men with reprieve. The man conducting the ceremony wiped the sweat from his brow and headed outside, most of others following him. The only ones left in the room then were the three young ones, two other soldiers, and the captain himself._

"_What should we do with these three, Captain?" one of them asked. _

"_I thought I made myself clear. They are to be delivered to Lord Diaab in one piece!" _

"_Yes sir, right away!" they replied._

"_Good," he said in reply, calmly walking past as though he didn't have a care in the world._

"_Thank you."_

_He stopped mid-step. Turning on his heel, the captain about-faced and found Razer standing before him, giving him an earnest look. "Thank you for what you did for Mother."_

_Narrowing his eyes at him, the captain casually walked over until he stood no more than a quarter of a meter away. Reaching out, he grabbed hold of Razer's jaw and pulled him forward to meet his eyes. Beneath his chin, he pressed a dagger to his skin. Ilana gasped. Khalil could only watch helplessly. _

"_Listen boy, consider yourself lucky that I happened to show up when I did; otherwise it would have been your girlfriend's body and possibly yours that my men would have been mopping up. If you value your life, or the life of your loved ones, you better learn to keep that big mouth of yours under control. One of these days, it might just get you into deep trouble. Understand?!" he growled, pressing the dagger deeper. Razer nodded dumbly._

"_Good. Now get moving, all of you!" he yelled, shoving Razer against the wall. Once they'd collected themselves, they too made their way outside where the soldiers began to escort them away from the village, heading deeper into the unknown desert. _

_By then, night had begun to fall across the land, draping this side of Volkreg into a blanket of dark orange, making the sand appear almost red, just like the sky. Secretly, the kids shivered at the prospect of being out at night. Whenever it got dark, the world became so black it was difficult to see anything._

_ Even freshly spilled blood..._

* * *

**Ooh, dark I know. This chapter is a bit shorter because I wanted to get one out before I left for a few days. I'm still studying abroad, but I will be going on a trip starting Thursday for a few days and will be without my laptop. If anyone PMs me then, I won't be able to respond until I get back, so don't be surprised if I don't respond right away!**

**Next chapter, Razer, Ilana, and Khalil meet the dreaded warlord! How will it turn out?! You're also probably wondering, who is this mysterious captain? That will also be revealed later on, maybe in the next chapter as well, depending on how long it gets!**

**And, regarding the contest, I've gotten about four entries so far. Out of those, there's two in particular that I'm leaning towards, but I'm still open for entries. I'm surprised that no male characters were submitted. But anyway, I'll probably have decided by the next chapter, so make sure to come up with something by then. The rules are in the previous chapter, and they haven't changed. **

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly accepted, just no flames!**


	22. Chapter 22

***************************IMPORTANT NOTE***

**************************And the winner is...  
**

**************************Sorry, but you need to read the chapter to find out! She will not show up just yet in this chapter, but she will in due time! Before she is introduced, I need the winner to describe what your character looks like so I can properly write her in (and if you want a picture drawn of her and posted to my DA account). I figured you guys needed a breather from the dark and gloom after the last two chapters, so this one is a bit of a buffer. But stuff does happen towards the end, so it is kinda important that you read this one! Don't forget to review!  
**

**************************This story takes place after 'Prisoner of Sinestro' and before 'Loss.' In no way do I own this series or its characters.**

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 22**

_How in Grotz's name did I end up in _this_ situation?!_ Razer grumbled internally. At the moment, he found himself stuck between the polar ice caps and a volcano! On his left, Zafeer walked idly alongside him, silent as an iceberg, eyes directly forward, and paying no heed to his companions. Normally, this behavior wouldn't really bother the red lantern. On the contrary, he rather enjoyed having some peace and quiet. No, what bothered him was that the Volkregian hunter was offering him no aid whatsoever to silence or calm the active volcano that continued to spew at every given moment.

Once all the measurements had been taken, the two had exited the peppy seamstress's hut as politely as they could. While he respected the woman's enthusiasm for her work, by the time Rakhshanda had finished, Razer swore that he was literally sitting on pins and needles. He wondered if she'd ever considered taking up acupuncture instead of sewing. She instructed them to return the next day, promising that all three outfits would be completed by early morning, just in time for the beginning of the festival. Thankful to finally be out of there, the Red Lantern had walked alongside his quiet companion, relief beginning to settle in. With no one to disturb him, Razer took time to take in the little things, something he hadn't been able to do for a while. He watched the other Volkregians hanging their decorations, all colored with the six shades of each clan. He passed by a few huts where the cooks were hard at work for the feast that was to come the next day. Children ran about, waving the flags of their clan proudly in the air. Such peace, such utter bliss…and then the volcano arrived.

Right after he'd bounded over, Archer had stuck to the two like a fungus and had put an end to Razer's peaceful observations. The moment he'd spotted them, words continuously began to erupt from his mouth and had not stopped since. Like burning lava, his words crawled deeper and deeper under his skin, unraveling ever patient nerve in his body, causing his own to frustration to boil deep below. Thus was the Red Lantern's current situation.

Absentmindedly, Razer's teeth began to grind in irritation. Still completely oblivious as ever, Archer babbled on.

"And then, he goes on to tell him that he had potential! A chance to move up in rank! Nobody saw it coming, and I mean nobody! After all, who would have expected him of all people considering that guy's track record! Hey, you wanna hear about how he handled the lookout mission in the Segocian desert?!"

"No."

"So here's the scoop! The commander goes up to him, acting all tough about it like the big guy he is, and starts asking if…"

Razer raised his hands to his head and began rubbing his temples. He wasn't sure he could take any more of this! He was worse than Hal after he'd had his morning coffee! And Zafeer was still not helping in the least! Finally, he let out a growl. "Archer!"

"But of course, the commander has no idea that he's-,"

"ARCHER!"

He stopped. "Yes?" he asked cheerfully.

"Enough!"

"Enough what?"

"Enough talking. I don't need to hear anymore!"

Archer blinked, his eyes filled with ignorance. "Why, is it bothering you?"

"Only a little," Razer muttered sarcastically.

"Sooo, you're asking me to stop?"

"Yes."

"Completely?"

"Completely."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Sincerely?"

"Archer!"

"Sorry!" he cried. "I'm promise to shut up now. Not another word!" he swore, raising his hand in promise.

"Good," Razer responded, turning his attention forward. And for a little while, all was quiet as it was once before with nothing but the sound of the village. Yet, unbeknownst to the other two, Razer had begun a mental countdown, counting backwards second by second. 5…4…3…2…1…

"Hey, did I ever tell you that I liked your new outfit?" Archer piped up, right on the dot.

This time, Razer couldn't help palming himself in the face. Obviously, his fellow militia mate had not changed a bit since their soldier days. He had never been one to stay quiet for very long, and to think he would have forgotten that bit of info. "Yes Archer, you told me that the day I arrived here," he muttered into his hand.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know in case I hadn't!" he admitted, slowing his pace so that he now walked behind him. "But seriously, it really suits you! And it's really different from your normal clothes!"

"Archer."

"Definitely a _lot _tighter than your tunics!" Archer commented, his eyes secretly roaming over the man in front of him.

"Archer!"

"I mean, it leaves nothing to the imagination…"

"ARCHER!"

"Yes?"

"What happened to 'not another word'?" Razer growled back, trying his best to ignore the pest with little success.

"Oh. Did I really say that?"

Razer's fist began to clench at his sides, his teeth bared in an angry snarl. This guy was really trying to push him to his limit. And the worst part was that it was working! He doubted that the calmness of the lake would help him now. Desperately seeking a distraction to take his mind off of his growing temper before he lost it again, the red lantern directed his attention at the other member of their party. "Zafeer, aren't you going to provide at least some sort of assistance?"

Zafeer turned, looking blankly at his companion. "Forgive me, I was not listening. Did you say something?"

At this point, Razer's body had begun to glow red. "I swear you two are doing this on purpose!" he said through clenched teeth.

"Doing what?"

"THAT!"

"I'm afraid I do not understand your objection. I require more information. Please be more specific in defining what it is that bothers you," Zafeer stated smoothly.

"Oh it's nothing, only the fact that I'm currently stuck with the two biggest irritations to ever walk this plane!"

Zafeer tilted his head. "And what would these 'two irritations' be?"

_Get a hold of yourself Razer! _the red lantern commanded himself, struggling to keep his anger at bay. Letting out a breath, he managed to settle down a little bit, enough to push the red light back into his ring. Although, it wouldn't take much to stir it up again that's for sure. "Never mind, it's not important."

"Then why were you making such a big deal over this unknown source of annoyance?"

"Just drop it, will you?"

This time, Zafeer frowned with confusion. "I am not carrying anything. What is it that you wish for me to relinquish?"

"Nothing! It's a figure of speech!" he retorted, his anger beginning to boil to the surface again.

"I see. Are 'figures of speech' meant to make little sense in reality?"

Thankfully, before Razer could lose control of his temper yet again, someone else happened to arrive, breaking his concentration. He secretly thanked Grotz for their perfect timing.

"Zafeeeeeeerrrrr!" the young girl cried out in merriment. The lot turned to see a gray-haired Mecha girl running up to them.

"Good day Delia," Zafeer nodded.

"_Delilah!" _she stressed. "What're you doing here? I thought you might be on hunting duty since you…oh my," Delilah stopped midsentence, her eyes widening. A second later, her face took on an expression that was a combination of dreamy and coy. Batting her eyelashes, she asked, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Who, Archer?"

She frowned. "No, your _other _friend!"

"Oh. Delia, this is Razer of the Musa clan. He, along with his crewmates will be staying here temporarily until their ship is repaired," Zafeer explained. "Razer, this is Delia of the Mecha clan. She is the granddaughter of Elder Alim and the daughter of our head mechanic here in the village. Oh, and she is also my betrothed."

"Betrothed?" Razer raised an eyebrow. Zafeer was the last person he'd expect to see betrothed to…anyone really.

The girl giggled in response. "It's _Delilah, _actually. A pleasure to meet you!" she said, giving him a light curtsy.

"Indeed. But we really must be going soon. I must find my crewmates before they get into any unintentional trouble," Razer responded.

"You're worried about your team?" She gasped dramatically. "That's sooo sweet, and so…expressive!" Delilah took a step forward so that she now stood directly in front of the red lantern. Likewise, it took all of Razer's willpower to keep from taking a step back. "Your girl must be one lucky lady."

"Indeed she is," he muttered with a sideways glance, hoping she wouldn't catch on to his bluff.

"What're you talking about? I thought your wife was dead or something?" Archer was quick to point out.

Razer cringed. "Oh yes, thank you for reminding me Archer," he muttered sarcastically.

"Dead? I'm so sorry! That really is a shame." Her eyes became watery for a moment then quickly reverted back to their previous coy state. "So, have you started looking around since? I mean, every girl likes a man in armor if you get what I'm saying!"

"We're not even in the same clan," Razer hissed through his teeth.

"Yes, but a clan is just a birthright. I'm sure I could talk my grandpa into pulling a few strings," Delilah whispered, lowering her eyelids. Raising her hand, she unabashedly tapped a finger to his insignia before trailing it slowly down his chest. "Besides, everyone loves a little bit of controversy," she purred. This time, he did take a step back. She chuckled. "Aw, no need to be shy."

Before he could respond, help came from an unexpected source. "Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Archer cried, getting in-between the two. "Hey, can't you take a hint?! He's not interested, right buddy?"

"Huh?"

"See? Not. Interested." Archer insisted, throwing his arm around his shoulder.

"And what are you, his keeper?" Delilah demanded, crossing her arms in annoyance. "I'm just letting him know that it's not too late to start looking around!"

"Yeah, well, maybe he doesn't want to start looking around! Ever thought of that?"

Delilah smirked. "Then why are _you_ hanging around him, hm?"

Archer's mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide. "Wha-?! I… that is… I'm not- I wasn't-," he stuttered nervously, fumbling for the right words. Razer couldn't help but purse his lips together as his brow crinkled in confusion. Archer had never been struck speechless before, so why now?

"I, uh, I," Archer mumbled. That is, until he was interrupted by a roaring wave of laughter.

Delilah clutched her sides. "You…you actually thought I was serious!" she managed to choke through her laughs. While she continued to wipe tears from her eyes, the others could only stare dumbly at her all the while—except maybe for Zafeer, who hadn't been paying much attention to the whole exchange. "I mean, come on! You'd be the last person I would ever guess to be…you know! Everyone knows about you and your crazy obsession with Adira."

"Uh, yeah!" Archer insisted, pushing his stupor away. "Adira is the love of my life, the light to my darkness, the yin to my yang, the arrow to my bow! Without her, I am but a useless waste of space, an incomplete puzzle searching for its missing piece! I long ago vowed to one day win her over so that we may rejoice in our everlasting paradise where, like flowers, our love will bloom and wither together in time."

"Ugh, gag me," Delilah muttered. "In case you've forgotten, the 'love of your life' hates your guts!"

"She just needs a little bit of persuasion that is all!"

She rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh, sure. You should get your sister to teach you a few things about women!"

That last part left Razer a little startled. "Archer, despite all of your constant showboating you failed to mention that you have a sister. Who is she, exactly?"

Archer smiled. "Only the sweetest, smartest, prettiest, cutest girl you could ever lay eyes upon!" he declared proudly as though he were describing a deity of some sort.

"She's also going to die an old maid if you don't hurry up and find a husband for her! You _are_ her only living relative!" Delilah stated.

"Hey, I'll betroth her to someone as soon as I find the right man for her! Ayubu deserves the very best for a girl as perfect as she is!"

The Mecha girl chuckled. "Well, you do have a potential candidate right next to you," she said, eyeing Razer.

"What?!" Archer let out a huff, his mouth contorting into a frown. "No! I'm sorry Razer. You are a good man, and while I am proud to refer to you as my friend, I can NOT allow you to take the hand of my little sister in marriage, no matter how noble and massively attractive you are!"

"I never said I was interested in marrying her," Razer retorted.

"Nevertheless, I insist you turn your eyes away from her greatness! No man shall ever be worthy of a being such as she!"

"So you're saying you'll never marry her off to anyone?! You can't be serious!" Delilah yelled back. "How can you be so selfish?!"

"When the right man comes around, only then will I give my blessing!"

"But you just said…!"

At this point, Razer had taken hold of Zafeer's arm and proceeded to drag him away.

"Red Lantern Razer, what are you doing?" Zafeer asked, only now acknowledging him for the first time in the last half hour.

"I'm leaving while they're distracted!" Razer said. "By the way, why didn't you do something to stop all of that flirting? I thought Delilah was supposed to be your fiancé!"

Zafeer tilted his head. "Flirting? Is that what she was doing?"

"Yes!"

"Oh. My apologies, I did not realize this. You have my word that I will be more perceptive the next time such an event occurs," he replied without a hint of worry or hesitation.

Razer let out an exasperated sigh. "Let's just find the others while I am still calm." _And while my sanity is still intact, _he added mentally.

* * *

"So then what happened?" Hal asked uncertainly. He was sure that had he been sitting down, he would have been on the edge of his seat by then. Khalil's story had really shed some light on his cranky teammate, and that light now illuminated the shadows that had once remained hidden behind his sulky scowl. While Hal had always been aware that Razer's past must have been dark, dark enough to turn him into the red warrior of hatred, he'd never really understood just _how _dark. If this was the kind of stuff he'd grown up with, it would have come as a complete shock if he hadn't turned out the way he did.

Khalil shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, but that's about all I can tell you. I've already opened enough wounds for one day."

"Khalil, I really appreciate this," Hal told him as sincerely as he could muster. "Honestly, I think I understand him a little more already. Thank you for telling me this."

The Volkregian nodded in response. "It's nothing. Just promise me you'll give him my best regards if I don't see him."

"I'll do that!" Hal promised with another handshake.

Just then, little Matek came running over, his face filled with excitement as he tugged at his father's sleeve. "Papa, papa!" he squealed happily.

"What is it Matek?"

"Teacher!"

Glancing up, the two were surprised to see Levana and Najee making their way over. "Teacher, teacher!" Matek cried happily, scampering over and wrapping his short little arms around Levana's legs.

"Good morning as well Little One!" Levana chuckled, giving the young boy a pat on the head.

"Hey Levana, it's been too long since I last saw you," Hal nodded, giving her a dazzling smile.

"Oh, g-good morning Hal," she stuttered, bowing her head in embarrassment as he approached. "I hope all i-is well with you and your crew?"

"When you ask it like that, nothing could possibly be wrong," he replied with a flirty smile…only for it to disappear when Najee took hold of his wife's shoulders and peered down at the human with a disapproving frown. "Uh, nice to see you too Najee!" Hal chuckled nervously.

Najee's eyes narrowed. "I'm watching you," he warned him.

Levana only giggled. "Have you all begun preparations to attend the God's Festival? I understand if it's a bit last minute."

"Actually, we all just came back from the seamstress not long ago!" Hal relayed. "Got ourselves measured for our formal wear."

"You'll be attending the God's Festival?" Khalil asked. "Does this mean you'll be entering the tournament? Outsiders haven't participated in years!"

Hal stopped. "Tournament?"

He nodded. "Yes, it's the last competitive event of the festival. Teams of two fighters work together and go against one another in hand-to-hand sparring rounds. The winning team is honored at the very end in the story dance."

"Did someone say sparring rounds?" Kilowog called, heading their way with Naaman in tow. "Yer saying you guys actually fight it out in a competition."

"That's right. It's supposed to honor the strength and bonds that the Gods have gifted upon each pair that competes," Khalil explained further.

"And we're allowed to enter too?" Kilowog's face practically lit up at the thought of _real_ exercise.

"Yes. Of course, there is a catch. If an outsider wishes to enter, you must have a Volkregian as a partner. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair to any of the natives."

Kilowog grinned. "Hey Naaman, you got a partner for this thing?"

"As a matter of fact, I do not," he answered knowingly. "Do you wish to team up?"

"Ya read my mind!" The two clapped hands eagerly.

"So, you think Zaf would mind pairing up with me?" Hal piped in.

Naaman shook his head. "I'm afraid that Zafeer has already chosen Adira as his partner. They're already registered.

"Of course _she_ would enter," Khalil whispered with a hint of irritation.

"Um, s-she is one of the best fighters around," Levana pointed out.

"But it doesn't mean she _should_ be fighting. It isn't suitable."

"Hey, guys! Khalil, wanna be partners?"

"I'm not sure if I'm even going to enter. It depends on what we decide to do about Matek," was his response.

At that moment however, a light bulb went off above Levana's head. She smiled eagerly. "Najee, you mentioned that you were looking for a partner, right?"

Her husband turned away, crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest. "Forget it Levana, I'm not teaming up with that guy!"

"Najee, at least give him a chance!"

"Yeah, come on buddy; let's let bygones be bygones, huh? What'dya say?" Hal offered his hand for a handshake.

"Please Najee?" Levana begged, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Don't make that face! I'm not falling for it this time!" Najee insisted. But his wife was unwilling to relent.

"Please?" she fluttered her eyelashes.

"No! I'm resisting you!"

"Please, please, please?" Levana began to snuggle up to his arm.

"I'm resisting you! I'm not going for it! You can't make me!"

"_Please?" _This time, she stood on her toes as her eyes began to water.

Unable to take anymore, Najee let out a sigh of defeat. "Alright, fine." He took Hal's hand and shook it reluctantly. "But only if you quit hitting on my wife!"

"I think we can work something out."

Levana clapped happily at the alliance. "This is wonderful!" she cried happily, jumping up and wrapping her arms around her husband's neck. "Thank you Najee!"

Najee pouted. "You're lucky I love you so much, otherwise there is no way I would have agreed to this," the Volkregian lamented, scooping her up into his arms to give her kiss. Off to the side, Khalil made a whipping noise, catching the couple's attention. "Hey, I don't want to hear that from _you,_ Mr. My-wife-is-always-right!"

At that, the group erupted into laughter forgetting for a moment all of the troubles that plagued them. Instead, their thoughts consisted only of the future and all the fun that would accompany it the following day!

* * *

**Congratulations to 8zBL for submitting Ayubu to the cast! And a great job to everyone else who entered! Good work to you all, I appreciated your efforts!**

**Reviews, comments, and criticisms are greatly accepted!**


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